Blackstone Completes Previously Announced Acquisition of Sphera, Leading Provider of ESG Software, Data, and Consulting Services

NEW YORK and CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sphera today announced that private equity funds managed by Blackstone (NYSE: BX, “Blackstone”) have completed their previously announced acquisition of Sphera, a leading provider of environmental, social and governance (ESG) software, data and consulting services, from Genstar Capital. The transaction, which values the company at $1.4 billion, continues Blackstone’s thematic investment focus on the ESG sector and provides Sphera with capital to help accelerate its growth and product offerings.

Spanning over 80 countries with more than 3,000 customers, Sphera combines its software as a service solution with consulting services, underpinned by proprietary data, to support businesses globally to manage and mitigate ESG risk. This support is delivered through its three product lines: Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S); Operational Risk Management; and Product Stewardship.

As part of Sphera’s strategic growth efforts, the company is also announcing the appointment of Kimberly Kolb as chief human resources officer (CHRO). As CHRO, Kolb will be responsible for developing and supporting Sphera’s global workforce as the organization continues to grow its footprint worldwide. She brings over 30 years of human resources, consulting and marketing experience from technology, professional service and financial services firms to the position, and held senior leadership roles at Whittman-Hart, CME Group and XR Trading.

Paul Marushka, CEO and president at Sphera, said, “As we enter this new stage, we are excited to be able to partner with Blackstone. Our achievements to date are a result of the dedication, hard work and effort of the team at Sphera. I am proud to collaborate with such a dedicated team as we take Sphera, with Blackstone’s investment and support, to the next level. This partnership with and capital injection by Blackstone will facilitate the next evolution of innovation, cementing our position as leaders and allowing us to push ahead with our vision for ESG software integration with extensive data and world-class consultancy services.”

Eli Nagler, a senior managing director at Blackstone, said: “We are excited to partner with Paul Marushka and his team to build on Sphera’s strong momentum as a trusted leader in the ESG solutions space. We look forward to supporting the company in the next phase of its growth journey as they continue to expand their product offerings and innovate to best serve their global customer base.”

Note to editors

About Sphera
Sphera creates a safer, more sustainable and productive world. We are a leading global provider of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services with a focus on Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S), Operational Risk Management and Product Stewardship. Learn more about Sphera at www.sphera.com. Follow Sphera on LinkedIn.

About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $684 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.

Contact:

Sphera Solutions, Sphera@AspectusGroup.com

Madison Realty Capital Originates $450 Million Construction Loan for 1,098-unit Mixed Use Development in Downtown Brooklyn

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Madison Realty Capital, a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm focused on debt and equity investment strategies, today announced it has provided a $450 million loan to The Rabsky Group, one of the largest residential and commercial developers in Brooklyn and Queens, to complete development of a 1,098-unit, 35-story multifamily and retail mixed-use property at 625-635 Fulton Street at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.

Josh Zegen, Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Madison Realty Capital, said, “This transaction represents Madison Realty Capital’s ability to deliver speed, certainty, and execution to top-tier borrowers in highly attractive submarkets. Accordingly, we are pleased to provide The Rabsky Group, a highly sophisticated and experienced developer with significant holdings throughout the New York metropolitan area, with a large and flexible financing solution. Downtown Brooklyn is an ever-expanding neighborhood and new multifamily housing options, particularly of this caliber, will be quickly absorbed. We are glad to support a property under development that will offer significant affordable housing options and look forward to expanding our relationship with The Rabsky Group for additional projects that positively impact New York City.”

Brooklyn is New York City’s most populous borough and is home to one of the most diverse economies in the country. Proximity to major employment hubs and education centers have made Downtown Brooklyn one of New York’s fastest growing residential markets. Moreover, Downtown Brooklyn has also become a technology and innovation hub and is home to 25 percent of New York City-based tech firms. The property is located within the Brooklyn Tech Triangle, an area comprised of Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard that has emerged as New York City’s largest cluster of tech activity outside of Manhattan and is within two blocks of ten different subway lines.

Designed with two interconnected residential towers atop a five-story podium, the property will offer 590,096 rentable residential square feet across 342 studios, 492 one-bedroom and 264 two-bedroom units and 30% of the units will be affordable through the Affordable New York program. A portion of the affordable units will be part of the Inclusionary Housing Program for lower income tenants. Residents will enjoy top-of-the-line amenities including a fitness facility, spa, recreation areas, in-unit washers and dryers, lounges, and a rooftop outdoor pool with views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. In addition to best-in-class residential units the property will have 25,988 rentable square feet of retail space along Fulton Street, 250 parking spaces and 150 storage units.

The Rabsky Group is led by Simon Dushinsky, Yadler Rabinowitz, and Joel Gluck, who also contributed significant cash equity for the construction.

Henry Bodek of Galaxy Capital served as broker for the transaction.

About Madison Realty Capital 

Madison Realty Capital is a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm that manages approximately $6 billion in total assets on behalf of an institutional global investor base. Since 2004, Madison Realty Capital has completed more than $15 billion in transactions in the U.S. providing reputable borrowers with flexible and highly customized financing solutions, strong underwriting capabilities, and certainty of execution. Headquartered in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles and Miami, the firm has over 60 employees across all real estate investment, development, and property management disciplines. Madison Realty Capital has been frequently named to the Commercial Observer’s prestigious “Power 100” list of New York City real estate players and is consistently cited as a top construction lender, among other industry recognitions. To learn more, follow us on LinkedIn and visit www.madisonrealtycapital.com.

Nathaniel Garnick/Grace Cartwright
Gasthalter & Co.
(212) 257-4170
[email protected]

Tech Companies Datamaran and Intelex Team Up to Provide a Full-Suite ESG Software Solution

The exclusive relationship allows Intelex customers to manage the full life cycle of their ESG strategy, including Materiality Analysis and Risk Identification.

Toronto, Canada, Sept. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intelex Technologies, ULC, a leading global provider of cloud-based Environmental, Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) management software, today announced it has entered an exclusive reseller partnership with Datamaran®, the only automated solution available to achieve a data-driven business process for external risk and materiality analysis. Working together, Datamaran and Intelex are helping customers accelerate their strategic and operational goals with a single source, fully automated and data-driven process.

Justin McElhattan, President and CEO of Intelex said, “We are very excited to partner with Datamaran to provide our customers with Datamaran’s industry-leading risk monitoring and materiality intelligence. Alongside Datamaran, we are able to offer our customers a superb experience that allows them to accelerate their ESG transformation by applying best-in-class data science and analytics.”

With this exclusive reseller partnership, Intelex customers will use Datamaran to identify, monitor and gain insights into emerging business and social issues with a dynamic risk and materiality process. The partnership provides organizations with unique risk monitoring and materiality capabilities, including Datamaran for Executives, a comprehensive solution to ensure that the most complete set of material risks are accurately captured for risk management, transparently communicated in annual disclosures and consistently reported up to the board of directors.

Mirroring Intelex’s own approach to providing scalable solutions that match customer ESG requirements, the Datamaran partnership offers customers the flexibility they need to achieve their strategic objectives. With Intelex and Datamaran together, organizations can seamlessly manage and monitor their ESG initiatives, reporting and strategy.

Companies worldwide use Datamaran’s evidence-based approach to inform their materiality, risk management, board oversight and reporting processes. This approach allows them to stay ahead of the curve, in front of the competition and at the top of their game. For an actual use case, you don’t have to look farther than Intelex parent company Fortive.

Pete Underwood, SVP and General Counsel of Fortive explains: “Datamaran continually anticipates and meets our needs, as our ESG and risk management processes evolve and mature. The platform enables a clear view of business-critical issues across the ever-changing landscape.”

With Datamaran and Intelex, senior management communicate timely and relevant information to the board of directors, move materiality from an operational exercise to a strategic process and monitor emerging trends. Using AI, Datamaran’s patented technology identifies and monitors over 400 external risk factors—including ESG, innovation and technology and geopolitical issues—on an ongoing basis by scanning the regulatory, media and corporate disclosure environments. It is the only software analytics platform available to improve risk management, annual reporting and board oversight of external risks and opportunities.

“For the past seven years, blue-chip companies have chosen Datamaran to seriously improve the way in which they go about ESG,” said Marjella Lecourt-Alma, CEO and co-founder of Datamaran. “With Intelex, we’re excited to reach an even larger group of companies. As a software provider with deep expertise in EHS, Intelex understands that ESG is now dominating the corporate market. Our full-suite ESG software solution enables companies to quickly move sustainability from project to process.”

About Datamaran: Datamaran is the only software analytics platform in the world that identifies and monitors external risks, including ESG. Trusted by blue-chip companies and top tier partners, it brings a data-driven business process for external risk and materiality analysis. In house—at any time. Datamaran’s patented technology offers real-time analytics on strategic, regulatory and reputational risks, specific to your business and value chain.

About Intelex Technologies, ULC: Intelex is a global leader in environmental, health, safety and quality (EHSQ) management software. Since 1992, Intelex employees across the globe have been committed to innovating and enabling organizations to send their employees home safely every day, leaving behind a more sustainable world to the generations that follow, and manage quality so that only the safest and highest quality products make it to market.

Intelex’s scalable, web-based platform and applications have helped clients across all industries improve business performance, mitigate organization-wide risk, and ensure sustained compliance with internationally accepted standards (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001) and OSHAS 18001) and regulatory requirements. Almost 1,400 customers in 195 countries trust Intelex to power their EHSQ initiatives.

Headquartered in Toronto with regional offices and employees around the world, Intelex became an Industrial Scientific company in 2019. In 2020, Intelex acquired ehsAI, provider of a SaaS-based next-wave compliance automation solution that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. For more information about Intelex, visit www.intelex.com.

Sandy Smith
Intelex Technologies, ULC
216-375-0484
[email protected]

Anaqua Delivers Enhanced IP Management to Bausch Health

Anaqua’s AQX platform to provide patent and trademark management with integrated IP analytics

BOSTON, Sept. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Anaqua, the leading innovation and intellectual property management technology provider, today announced that Bausch Health Companies Inc. has selected Anaqua’s AQX platform to deliver enhanced IP management across the health care products company’s global operations.

Bausch Health will be using Anaqua’s AQX as their primary IP management system – both for patent and trademark management – replacing their previous IP services provider. Bausch Health will take advantage of Anaqua’s broad range of IP offerings including AcclaimIP for patent analytics, Anaqua Services for patent annuities and trademark renewals, as well as AQX modules for IP contract and financial management.

Commented Bob Romeo, CEO of Anaqua: “Bausch Health is an innovative health care company delivering on its commitment to help people around the world. We are proud to be working with them and to better serve their valuable IP assets through Anaqua’s enhanced innovation and IP management solutions.”

About Anaqua
Anaqua, Inc. is a premium provider of integrated intellectual property (IP) management technology solutions and services. Anaqua’s AQX platform combines best practice workflows with big data analytics and tech-enabled services to create an intelligent environment designed to inform IP strategy, enable IP decision-making, and streamline IP operations. Today, nearly half of the top 100 U.S. patent filers and global brands, as well as a growing number of law firms worldwide use Anaqua’s solutions. Over one million IP executives, attorneys, paralegals, administrators, and innovators use the platform for their IP management needs. The company’s global operations are headquartered in Boston, with offices across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. For additional information, please visit anaqua.com, or on LinkedIn.

Company Contact:
Amanda Hollis
Associate Director, Communications
Anaqua
617-375-2626
[email protected]

Nyxoah Announces U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation Granted for the Genio® System for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Complete Concentric Collapse

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Nyxoah Announces U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation Granted for the Genio® System for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Complete Concentric Collapse

Mont-Saint-Guibert (Belgium), September 14, 2021, 8:00 am CET / 2:00 am ET – Nyxoah SA (Euronext Brussels/Nasdaq: NYXH) (“Nyxoah” or the “Company”), a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the Genio® bilateral hypoglossal nerve stimulation system Breakthrough Device Designation for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe OSA and Complete Concentric Collapse (CCC) of the soft palate.

The FDA’s Breakthrough Designation Program was created to help patients and healthcare providers receive faster access to innovative technologies that hold the potential to provide more effective treatment of irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions. According to the FDA, OSA is an irreversibly debilitating human disease for patients with sleep apnea. Under the Program, the FDA will provide the Genio® system with priority review and interaction with FDA’s experts throughout the premarket review phase until the product is commercialized in the US.

“We are pleased to have received Breakthrough Device Designation for our proprietary Genio® system for OSA patients with CCC, recognizing that Obstructive Sleep Apnea is an irreversibly debilitating condition.” said Olivier Taelman, CEO of Nyxoah. “This Breakthrough Designation accelerates our market authorization process in the US and expands our total addressable market to include CCC patients currently contraindicated for hypoglossal nerve stimulation.”

The Breakthrough Designation is supported by data from the Company’s BETTER SLEEP trial, aimed at addressing the long-term safety and performance of the Genio® system in adult OSA patients with and without CCC.

About BETTER SLEEP Trial
BilatEral Hypoglossal Nerve StimulaTion for TreatmEnt of ObstRuctive SLEEP Apnoea, or BETTER SLEEP, is a multicenter, prospective, open-label, two-group clinical trial, designed to assess the safety and performance of the Genio® system for the treatment of OSA in adult patients with and without CCC. Top-line BETTER SLEEP results showed primary safety and performance endpoints were met, with statistically significant mean reduction in the AHI score in full patient population including CCC patients. Nyxoah will submit full BETTER SLEEP study data to a medical journal for publication and announce results following further analyses.

About Nyxoah
Nyxoah is a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Nyxoah’s lead solution is the Genio® system, a patient-centered, leadless and battery-free hypoglossal neurostimulation therapy for OSA, the world’s most common sleep disordered breathing condition that is associated with increased mortality risk and cardiovascular comorbidities. Nyxoah is driven by the vision that OSA patients should enjoy restful nights and feel enabled to live their life to its fullest.

Following the successful completion of the BLAST OSA study, the Genio® system received its European CE Mark in 2019. Nyxoah completed two successful IPOs: on Euronext in September 2020 and NASDAQ in July 2021. Following the positive outcomes of the BETTER SLEEP study, Nyxoah is seeking for the expansion of its therapeutic indications to Complete Concentric Collapse (CCC) patients, currently contraindicated in competitors’ therapy. Additionally, the Company is currently conducting the DREAM IDE pivotal study for FDA and US commercialization approval.

Contacts:
Nyxoah
Fabian Suarez, Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]
+32 10 22 24 55

Gilmartin Group
Vivian Cervantes
[email protected]

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Nyxoah Announces Participation in the Cantor 2021 Virtual Global Healthcare Conference

Nyxoah Announces Participation in the Cantor 2021 Virtual Global Healthcare Conference

Mont-Saint-Guibert (Belgium), September 13, 2021, 10:30 pm CET / 4:30 pm ET – Nyxoah SA (Euronext Brussels/Nasdaq: NYXH) (“Nyxoah” or the “Company”), a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), today announced that Olivier Taelman, Chief Executive Officer, will participate at the Cantor 2021 Global Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, with a virtual presentation at 4:00 pm CET/10:00 am ET.

A live webcast and replay of this event will be available on the Company’s investors relations website at https://investors.nyxoah.com/

About Nyxoah
Nyxoah is a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Nyxoah’s lead solution is the Genio® system, a patient-centered, leadless and battery-free hypoglossal neurostimulation therapy for OSA, the world’s most common sleep disordered breathing condition that is associated with increased mortality risk and cardiovascular comorbidities. Nyxoah is driven by the vision that OSA patients should enjoy restful nights and feel enabled to live their life to its fullest.

Following the successful completion of the BLAST OSA study, the Genio® system received its European CE Mark in 2019. Nyxoah completed two successful IPOs: on Euronext in September 2020 and NASDAQ in July 2021. Following the positive outcomes of the BETTER SLEEP study, Nyxoah is seeking for the expansion of its therapeutic indications to Complete Concentric Collapse (CCC) patients, currently contraindicated in competitors’ therapy. Additionally, the Company is currently conducting the DREAM IDE pivotal study for FDA and US commercialization approval.

Contacts:
Nyxoah
Fabian Suarez, Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]
+32 10 22 24 55

Gilmartin Group
Vivian Cervantes
vivian.cervantes@gilmartinir.com

Attachment

Gates Foundation’s Annual Goalkeepers Report Finds Stark Disparities in COVID-19 Impacts

New data reveals world stepped up to prevent worst-case scenarios from happening; spotlights need for long-term investments to ensure an equitable recovery and continued progress toward the Global Goals

SEATTLE, Sept. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today launched its fifth annual Goalkeepers Report, featuring an updated global dataset illustrating the pandemic’s adverse impact on progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals).

This year’s report, co-authored by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, co-chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, shows that disparities caused by COVID-19 remain stark, and those who have been hardest hit by the pandemic will be the slowest to recover. Because of COVID-19, an additional 31 million people were pushed into extreme poverty in 2020 compared to 2019. And while 90% of advanced economies will regain pre-pandemic per capita income levels by next year, only a third of low- and middle-income economies are expected to do so.

Fortunately, amidst this devastation, the world stepped up to avert some of the worst-case scenarios. In last year’s Goalkeepers Report, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) predicted a drop of 14 percentage points in global vaccine coverage—effectively erasing 25 years of progress in 25 weeks. New analysis from IHME demonstrates that the decline, while still unacceptable, was only half of what was anticipated.

In the report, the co-chairs highlight the “breathtaking innovation” that was only possible because of global collaboration, commitment, and investments over decades. They acknowledge that averting the worst-case scenarios is commendable, yet they note it’s not enough. To ensure a truly equitable recovery from the pandemic, they call for long-term investments in health and economies—like the ones that led to the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine—to propel recovery efforts and get the world back on track to meet the Global Goals.

“[The past year] has reinforced our belief that progress is possible but not inevitable,” write the co-chairs. “If we can expand upon the best of what we’ve seen these past 18 months, we can finally put the pandemic behind us and once again accelerate progress in addressing fundamental issues like health, hunger, and climate change.”

The report highlights the disproportionate economic impact that the pandemic has had on women globally. In high- and low-income countries alike, women have been harder hit than men by the global recession that was triggered by the pandemic.

“Women face structural barriers in every corner of the world, leaving them more vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic,” said Melinda French Gates. “By investing in women now and addressing these inequities, governments can spur a more equitable recovery while strengthening their economies against future crises. It’s not just the right thing to do—but smart policy that will benefit everyone.”

The report also illustrates how the so-called “miracle” of COVID-19 vaccines was the result of decades of investment, policies, and partnerships that established the infrastructure, talent, and ecosystems necessary to deploy them quickly. However, the systems that allowed for the unprecedented development and deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine exist primarily in wealthy countries, and as a result, the world has not benefited equally.

“The lack of equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is a public health tragedy,” said Bill Gates. “We face the very real risk that in the future, wealthy countries and communities will begin treating COVID-19 as yet another disease of poverty. We can’t put the pandemic behind us until everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to vaccines.”

More than 80% of all COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in high- and upper-middle-income countries to date, with some securing two to three times the number needed so they can cover boosters; less than 1% of doses have been administered in low-income countries. Further, COVID-19 vaccine access has been strongly correlated with the locations where there is vaccine R&D and manufacturing capability. Though Africa is home to 17% of the world’s population, for example, it has less than 1% of the world’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities.

Ultimately, the report calls for the world to invest in R&D, infrastructure, and innovation in places closer to the people who stand to benefit.

“We must invest in local partners to strengthen the capacity of researchers and manufacturers in lower-income countries to create the vaccines and medicines they need,” said Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman. “The only way we will solve our greatest health challenges is by drawing on the innovation and talent of people all over the world.”

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates.

About Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, we hope to inspire a new generation of leaders—Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals.

About the Global Goals

On September 25, 2015, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, 193 world leaders committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). These are a series of ambitious objectives and targets to achieve three extraordinary things by 2030: end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and fix climate change.

Media Contact: [email protected]                                   
Report Link: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/goalkeepers/report/2021-report/
Report Visual Assets:
http://gatesfoundation.isebox.net/goalkeepers/goalkeepers-report-2021

Positive cases of COVID-19 gradually coming down in country: Asad

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said that the positive cases of COVID-19 are gradually coming down in the country.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, he was confident that the situation will further improve in the next fifteen days and reduce the existing pressure on the hospitals.

He however warned that the threat is not over.

The Minister for Planning said tougher restrictions were imposed in twenty four districts earlier this month to curb the spread of the virus.

He expressed satisfaction that the situation has now improved in eighteen districts.

He said that the high degree of restrictions will stay in place in the remaining six districts till 22nd of this month. These include Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha, Gujarat and Bannu.

The Minister for Planning said that educational institutions are being reopened from Thursday in a staggered manner. Intercity transport is being allowed with fifty percent occupancy. Outdoor dining will now be allowed in these districts by twelve midnight but indoor dining will remain closed.

The Minister for Planning said that amusement parks are being opened for fully vaccinated people. He said outdoor gathering of four hundred people is being allowed.

Asad Umar urged the people to get themselves vaccinated against the disease. He said those not getting the vaccine jab will have to face restrictions such as on their air travel and visit to different places such shopping malls, guest houses, hotels from 30th September.

Source: Radio Pakistan