| | MAY 20248IN FOCUSHUONG TRAN NAMED NOVENTIQ'S NEW CFO FOR ASIA PACIFIC REGIONNoventiq Holdings PLC (Noventiq), a prominent provider of digital transformation and cybersecurity solutions and services, has named Huong Tran as the Chief Financial Officer overseeing its operations in the Asia Pacific region, including Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand.Having joined Noventiq in 2019, Huong brings over ten years of experience in the financial sector to her new role. She has held key positions in Treasury Management, Fundraising, Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Mergers & Acquisitions. Her wealth of expertise will play a pivotal role in steering Noventiq's growth strategy across the APAC markets.Before joining Noventiq, Huong held the position of Finance Head, where she demonstrated excellence in Financial Reporting, Cash & Asset Management, enhancing her suitability for her new position at Noventiq. Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, she will supervise all financial operations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.Jerry Letter, CFO and Head of Corporate Development of Noventiq, commented, "Huong's leadership and financial acumen strengthen our team, enhancing our ability to meet the demands of our rapidly expanding customer base in Asia-Pacific. As we continue on our journey to list on the Nasdaq, Huong's appointment underscores our commitment to driving forward our mission to continue with our three-dimensional growth strategy of geographic and portfolio expansion, as well as sales channel development".Huong Tran remarked on her appointment, "I am honored to serve as the CFO for Noventiq APAC. Over the past five years, my alignment with Noventiq's commitment to growth, innovation, and talent development has only deepened. I am eager to lead our financial strategies to new heights across the region".Ilya Anzhiganov, Vice President of Noventiq APAC, added, "Huong, who is the first woman appointed for this position, has a proven track record and deep understanding of our financial landscape which will greatly enhance our operational capabilities in APAC. Her leadership will play a pivotal role in realizing Noventiq's ambitious goals for the region". ASTELLAS & YASKAWA FORGE INNOVATIVE CELL THERAPY ECOSYSTEM IN JAPANAstellas Pharma Inc. and Yaskawa Electric Corporation have initiated discussions by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at fostering an inventive cell therapy ecosystem through the fusion of pharmaceutical and robotics technologies. This agreement, while non-binding, sets the stage for more detailed deliberations between the two entities in the coming stages.Commercializing cell therapy faces a major obstacle in the form of the intricate nature of product manufacturing. Extensive investments are necessary to navigate the complexities of developing manufacturing processes, transferring technology between manufacturers, and establishing large-scale production facilities for commercial purposes. Consequently, startups and academic institutions encounter significant challenges in independently commercializing cell therapy.Since the end of 2017, Astellas has been advancing drug discovery and manufacturing technology research in cell therapy through the introduction of the humanoid robot 'Maholo', developed by the Robotic Biology Institute, a subsidiary of Yaskawa. Under the terms of the MoU, the companies will begin discussions to potentially develop a platform that may seamlessly link early-stage research to commercialization, utilizing the state-of-the-art Maholo robot to manufacture high-quality products and shorten the R&D period of cell therapy.Additionally, the companies are contemplating extending the platform to startups and academic institutions, with the goal of cultivating an advanced cell therapy ecosystem. This initiative aims to facilitate innovation discovery and development, potentially lowering the investment required for investigational drug manufacturing under the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act. Astellas will contribute cell manufacturing technology, along with clinical development and regulatory expertise in the field of cell therapy, while Yaskawa will furnish and enhance cutting-edge robotics and factory automation technologies.
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