Latest news with #SCPH
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Shaping Ipoh into a ‘Doughnut City'
ONCE famed for its tin-mining industry, Ipoh is now on the brink of transformation. Perak's capital is adopting the 'Doughnut Economics City' concept which balances meeting human needs and the environment. 'It is Asia's first city to embrace the cutting-edge concept, a model that seeks to create a regenerative, inclusive and environmentally sustainable economy,' said Ipoh Doughnut Economic City Secretariat head Dr Zulqarnain Mohamad. The term 'doughnut' in Doughnut Economics refers to a visual framework for sustainable development developed by economist Kate Raworth. It is shaped like a doughnut (or ring) and represents a safe and just space for humanity to thrive. Once an underutilised natural site, Mirror Lake is now a thriving ecotourism destination. Ipoh City Council (MBI) will implement the pilot scheme, which is funded by a Hasanah Foundation grant, in collaboration with Institute Darul Ridzuan (IDR) and Sunway University's Centre for Planetary Health (SCPH). Zulqarnain said there had been significant momentum in moving forward several initiatives since the memorandum of understanding was signed with key partners in November 2023. 'This is one of the flagship programmes under the state's Perak Sejahtera 2030 development roadmap,' he said. Zulqarnain said Ipoh's evolution was a necessity. Once the richest tin-mining city in the world, Ipoh was forced to redesign its future after the global decline of tin following the shift to materials like plastic and aluminium. 'We had to move from a resource-based economy to sustainable industries like ecotourism and environmentally responsible development. 'Since 2023, Ipoh has undertaken a number of initiatives to put the concept into action. 'MBI has been actively developing its 'Ipoh Doughnut: City Portrait', which will serve as the city-level action plan, since last year. 'The city-level action plan incorporates other related existing action plans such as the Ipoh City Council Strategic Master Plan, Ipoh Smart Green City Plan and the Local Plan,' he said. A cleaner, greener Ipoh is part of the Doughnut Economics that seeks to balance humanity's needs with the planet's ecological boundaries. 'We hope to present the draft of the 'Ipoh Doughnut: City Portrait' to mayor Zamakhshari Hanipah soon,' he added. SCPH executive director Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood had previously said in an interview that Ipoh possessed a viable environment for the implementation of the Doughnut Economics concept. She said Ipoh was rich in biodiversity and this was a good opportunity to generate new economies that were inclusive and sustainable. 'We can create an environment where the economy is not based on the gross domestic product, but on the well-being of the people,' she said. Zulqarnain said several key demonstrator projects had also been outlined for Ipoh, with a focus on several themes that could bring the greatest change. Among the project's early achievements is Mirror Lake (Tasik Cermin), a once underutilised natural site which has been transformed into a thriving ecotourism destination. 'The food and beverage outlets at Mirror Lake are required to hire locals,' said Zulqarnain. MBI has been visiting companies to expand circular economy projects such as converting old tyre into pyrolysis oil. He said the Ipoh Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) was being enhanced and had been accredited as a green building, incorporating solar panels and rainwater-harvesting systems. He added that MBI was also upgrading the Ipoh Central Market to turn it into a green market, which would further reduce its carbon footprint. Zamakhshari had said that MBI received an allocation of RM15mil from Housing and Local Government Ministry, with RM500,000 allocated for the market's revamp. For the Ipoh Central Market design competition, elements such as natural sustainability, energy efficiency and pedestrian-friendliness had been prioritised. Separately, Zulqarnain said MBI's Ipoh Integrated Operation Centre had collaborated with Telekom Malaysia in using artificial intelligence to manage traffic flow within the city centre. The Ipoh Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) incorporates green elements through water saving and energy efficiency. He said MBI also hoped to expand its innovative circular economy projects, such as converting old tyres into pyrolysis oil. Besides just announcing steps to boost the economy, the environment including the limestones must be protected, he emphasised. 'For limestone karst studies, we are working with Universiti Sabah Malaysia and Sunway University. 'We are looking at the tourism potential of karst and its biodiversity. 'We have held mentoring sessions on the carbon-credit potential to protect limestone hills,' he said. Nevertheless, Zulqarnain acknowledged that turning theory into practice was quite complex. He said there was no manual on how to apply the Doughnut Economics concept, adding that cities like Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Melbourne in Australia and Brussels in Belgium were also experimenting in devising their own approaches. 'We are learning from them but also creating our own path to suit the local context. 'The broad scope of the framework, spanning economic, ecological and social well-being means that careful selection of measurable indicators is critical,' he noted. Zulqarnain said Doughnut Economics was not just about ecological sustainability, as it was about the people too. Zulqarnain (centre) explaining the Doughnut Economics concept to the public during Ipoh's Low-Carbon Day event held at Dataran Ipoh. 'It is about a circular economy with a human heart. 'We want safer streets, better jobs, cleaner air, all while protecting the environment.' He said to that end, MBI was taking concrete steps to improve socio-economic well-being by pushing for insurance and social protection for small traders when they apply for licences. 'We are also working with agencies like the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) on the minimum it can provide, so that if the sole breadwinner dies, the family does not suffer,' he said. According to Zulqarnain, in late 2021, SCPH, IDR and a team of experts presented a vision for Ipoh as the first city to adopt Doughnut Economics in Asia, to the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah and senior state government officials. This led to the Doughnut Economics concept being adopted in the overarching monitoring framework in the state blueprint. Upon the receipt of grants, a series of workshops, mentoring sessions, and community outreach programmes were held for MBI staff, industry partners and civil society. Ipoh's Urban Transformation Centre has been accredited as a green building as it has solar panels and rainwater-harvesting systems. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star and courtesy photos Zulqarnain said there had been public engagement on Ipoh's transformation into a Doughnut Economics City to ensure that citizens understood and supported the transition. This included town halls, Doughnut Economics booths at the Ipoh's Low-Carbon Day event and education on recycling in primary schools. 'We have held townhall sessions and provided briefings to all department heads and staff on the project's implementation stages. 'Last year, a special programme was conducted to introduce the concept to primary school pupils and create awareness of sustainable economic models. 'Ipoh is proving that small steps when guided by vision, can lead to transformative change. 'In the process, this former tin-rich city might just become an example for what urban development should look like, which is circular, equitable and built for both people and the planet,' said Zulqarnain.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
scPharmaceuticals Inc (SCPH) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Revenue Surge and Strategic Expansion
Net Revenue: $11.8 million for Q1 2025. FUROSCIX Doses Filled: Approximately 13,800 doses in Q1 2025. Gross to Net Discount: Approximately 23% in Q1 2025, with an anticipated blended GTN of approximately 30% for the balance of 2025. Product Revenues Comparison: $11.8 million in Q1 2025 compared to $6.1 million in Q1 2024. Cost of Product Revenues: $3.5 million in Q1 2025 compared to $1.8 million in Q1 2024. Cash and Cash Equivalents: $57.5 million as of March 31, 2025, compared to $75.7 million as of December 31, 2024. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with SCPH. Release Date: May 14, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. scPharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SCPH) reported a significant increase in net revenue for Q1 2025, reaching $11.8 million compared to $6.1 million in Q1 2024. The company successfully launched FUROSCIX for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in April 2025, expanding its market reach. The Medicare Part D redesign is expected to be a net tailwind for FUROSCIX, with increased fill rates and prescribing due to lower out-of-pocket costs for patients. The company has seen a rapid adoption of FUROSCIX in the CKD market, with prescriptions being filled quickly after initial calls to nephrologists. scPharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SCPH) has expanded its sales force, resulting in greater reach and frequency to target prescribers, which has increased demand for FUROSCIX. The gross to net discount for FUROSCIX increased to approximately 23% in Q1 2025, with an anticipated rise to 30% over the year, impacting revenue. Net cash outflows were significant in Q1 2025, with cash and cash equivalents decreasing from $75.7 million at the end of 2024 to $57.5 million. The company faces challenges with high copays for Medicare patients, although this is expected to improve as more patients reach their out-of-pocket maximums. There is limited visibility on the percentage of Medicare patients enrolled in the copay smoothing program, which affects the predictability of fill rates. The company anticipates a continued increase in cost of goods sold (COGS) until the Autoinjector is fully implemented, which is expected to reduce COGS by 70% to 75%. Q: What signs of growing physician traction are you seeing with the launch in CKD, and what are the characteristics of the newer patients getting FUROSCIX? A: Steve Parsons, Senior Vice President of Commercial, noted that the response has been very positive, with new accounts and nephrologists prescribing FUROSCIX for both CKD and heart failure. The launch is meeting early expectations, and prescriptions from nephrology are accelerating. Q: Do you expect the increase in sales to IDNs to continue into subsequent quarters in 2025? A: John Tucker, CEO, confirmed that Q2 is expected to be much bigger than Q1 in IDNs. The strategy is a key component, allowing doctors to order directly through their EMR, facilitating discharge, and showing significant growth quarter-over-quarter. Q: How is the CKD launch progressing compared to the early heart failure launch for FUROSCIX? A: Steve Parsons stated that the CKD launch adoption is much faster than heart failure. Prescriptions are being written the same day as calls, indicating pent-up demand. Reimbursement for CKD is similar to heart failure, with prescriptions mostly going through with a simple prior authorization. Q: With the Part D redesign, do you have visibility when patients use up their out-of-pocket expenses? A: John Tucker explained that while they can see copays and CMS claims for patients in catastrophic coverage, real-time visibility at the doctor's office is limited. The hub alerts patients about copays and promotes smoothing to doctors, which has increased patient enrollment in smoothing programs. Q: Are you seeing patients with only CKD getting prescriptions for FUROSCIX, or are they mostly comorbid with heart failure? A: Steve Parsons confirmed that there are CKD-only patients receiving FUROSCIX, but many also have heart failure, which is beneficial as nephrology is now being targeted for both conditions. Q: Can you share the doses per script in Q1 and any initial insights on CKD patients' doses per script? A: Steve Parsons reported an average of 7.4 doses per script in Q1, up from 6.8 in Q4. The doses per script for CKD patients have been similar to those for heart failure. Q: What are your thoughts on the current trends and growth projections for the year? A: John Tucker expressed confidence in the full year and Q2, noting an inflection in volume starting in March and continuing into April and May. Despite GTN headwinds, the company is bullish on growth due to lower patient copays and increased prescriptions. Q: How has the improvement in fill rate in April been driven, and what are the expectations moving forward? A: John Tucker highlighted a noticeable increase in $0 copays in Q2, leading to higher fill rates. The improvement is attributed to patients reaching their out-of-pocket cap or enrolling in smoothing, with expectations for continued growth as copays cannot increase. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. 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
