LUXEMBOURG & LAGOS. - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE) SES (NYSE Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), in cooperation with service provider Computer Warehouse Group (NSE Nigerian Stock Exchange: CWG), today announced the launch of a new digital TV platform for West Africa on SES’s ASTRA 2F satellite at 28.2 degrees East.
This independent and neutral TV platform in Nigeria will be the country’s first free-to-air (FTA) DTH digital TV platform and provide the opportunity for broadcasters to reach millions of satellite homes in West Africa which are pointing their dishes to 28.2 degrees East. Besides providing additional growth opportunities for local and international broadcasters, the platform could be used to quicken the pace of digital migration.
The platform provides end-to-end contribution, ground and space services to local, regional, national and international TV broadcasters across West Africa. SES will be providing the space segment and specific ground services, while CWG will be managing the teleport services as an SES partner teleport operator, providing high operational standards. The service will start in September 2014.
The 28.2 degrees East orbital position is SES's prime orbital position for West Africa and its FTA reach is one of the highest in the region. Today, SES already transmits 28 FTA channels at the 28.2 degrees East neighbourhood.
Austin Okere, Founder and CEO of CWG, said, “For years, the majority of households in West Africa has been shut out of the digital broadcasting experience. Together with SES, we are excited to enable broadcasters to deliver their content cost-effectively, and in excellent technical quality to millions of households across the region.”
Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer of SES, said, “Broadcasting via satellite provides better picture quality and a 100 percent coverage of even the most remote areas and regions. The long-term partnership with CWG will open up new possibilities for local and international broadcasters and allow them to drive digitalisation and reach their audiences across West Africa quickly and cost-effectively.”
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SES.YourSatelliteCompany
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel
Blog: http://en.ses.com/4243715/blog
SES Pictures are available under http://www.ses.com/4245221/library
About SES
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of over 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.
SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.
SES (NYSE Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information under: www.ses.com.
About CWG Plc
Computer Warehouse Group Plc (NSE:CWG) is a leading provider of Information, and Communication Technology solutions, across West, Central, and Eastern Africa.
Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, CWG PLC, an ISO 9000:2008 certified company, enables customers to plan, design, optimise and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide efficiencies for tomorrow’s competitive landscape.
As the foremost enabler of business where it operates, its technology powers more than 80% of businesses in the financial industry in Nigeria and 50% of the telecoms industry. CWG was named a World Economic Forum Global Growth Company (WEF-GGC) at the 2014 WEF Africa. To learn more, visit www.cwlgroup.com
Contacts
For further information please contact:
Markus Payer
SES Communications
Tel: +352 710 725 500
Markus.Payer@ses.com
Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/11702/en
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Panasonic Co-Create with YouTube Video Creators to Promote Its VIERA 4K TV
OSAKA, Japan. - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE) Panasonic Corporation is promoting its VIERA 4K TV, an ultra-high definition set with a massive 65-inch screen, as the perfect screen to enjoy watching online videos such as YouTube videos. To appeal to those who watch, the company decided to engage with creative people who produce such YouTube videos at the first place.
Through crowdsourcing platform eYeka, Panasonic connected with creative people from all over the world and invited them to create amazing, surprising videos showing how a story or creative moment would be transformed now that they have a bigger and more beautiful canvas for their creativity.
The competition had worldwide appeal with 34 videos received in the space of 5 weeks, from 13 countries as diverse as France, Japan, the USA, Russia, India, China and the UK. Some of the Japanese participants were students from the Nihonkogakuin College in Tokyo. The 3 winning videos, selected by WIRED magazine and Panasonic are:
1. "Dance FX" by niwina (France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nw07HEXSi0 This work shows the amazing dance performance, effectively using a VIERA 4K TV. The multi-roles of video creation, such as performing, directing, filming and editing, by himself is remarkably impressive.
2. "Tiger in the living room" by JulianCa (Colombia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3r6OSn9zi8 This video successfully depicts the impact and sensation that the large-screen, high-definition VIERA can provide using animation, which is difficult to communicate with a small screen, like that of a smartphone.
3. "BMX" by aceblvd (France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy126-BRAB4 This work shows sensational BMX action with great background music by shooting with a LUMIX GH4 from the Panasonic 4K product line, and enjoying it on a VIERA 4K TV.
- VIERA creative video competition result: http://panasonic.jp/viera/competition/ - What could you create?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZ2MQvj4Do
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.74 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2014. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company's website at http://www.panasonic.com/
About eYeka
Welcome to the World's biggest creative playground! eYeka is an online community of over 280,000 very creative individuals active in over 150 countries. We connect with brands and their agencies to increase the ROI of their marketing activities by delivering relevant innovation ideas and social content that attract, engage and sell. We offer end-to-end solutions from ideation, curation, validation to amplification. And we guarantee our results! Leading brands such as Unilever, P&G, Mondelez, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Danone, Panasonic, Hyundai and Toyota are already in eYeka's playground. Discover how we boost their marketing ROI on www.eyeka.net
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50910613&lang=en
Contacts
Panasonic Corporation
Global Communication Group
Public Relations Office
+81-3-3574-5729
presscontact@ml.jp.panasonic.com
Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/11708/en
(BUSINESS WIRE) Panasonic Corporation is promoting its VIERA 4K TV, an ultra-high definition set with a massive 65-inch screen, as the perfect screen to enjoy watching online videos such as YouTube videos. To appeal to those who watch, the company decided to engage with creative people who produce such YouTube videos at the first place.
Through crowdsourcing platform eYeka, Panasonic connected with creative people from all over the world and invited them to create amazing, surprising videos showing how a story or creative moment would be transformed now that they have a bigger and more beautiful canvas for their creativity.
The competition had worldwide appeal with 34 videos received in the space of 5 weeks, from 13 countries as diverse as France, Japan, the USA, Russia, India, China and the UK. Some of the Japanese participants were students from the Nihonkogakuin College in Tokyo. The 3 winning videos, selected by WIRED magazine and Panasonic are:
1. "Dance FX" by niwina (France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nw07HEXSi0 This work shows the amazing dance performance, effectively using a VIERA 4K TV. The multi-roles of video creation, such as performing, directing, filming and editing, by himself is remarkably impressive.
2. "Tiger in the living room" by JulianCa (Colombia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3r6OSn9zi8 This video successfully depicts the impact and sensation that the large-screen, high-definition VIERA can provide using animation, which is difficult to communicate with a small screen, like that of a smartphone.
3. "BMX" by aceblvd (France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy126-BRAB4 This work shows sensational BMX action with great background music by shooting with a LUMIX GH4 from the Panasonic 4K product line, and enjoying it on a VIERA 4K TV.
- VIERA creative video competition result: http://panasonic.jp/viera/competition/ - What could you create?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZ2MQvj4Do
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.74 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2014. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company's website at http://www.panasonic.com/
About eYeka
Welcome to the World's biggest creative playground! eYeka is an online community of over 280,000 very creative individuals active in over 150 countries. We connect with brands and their agencies to increase the ROI of their marketing activities by delivering relevant innovation ideas and social content that attract, engage and sell. We offer end-to-end solutions from ideation, curation, validation to amplification. And we guarantee our results! Leading brands such as Unilever, P&G, Mondelez, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Danone, Panasonic, Hyundai and Toyota are already in eYeka's playground. Discover how we boost their marketing ROI on www.eyeka.net
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50910613&lang=en
Contacts
Panasonic Corporation
Global Communication Group
Public Relations Office
+81-3-3574-5729
presscontact@ml.jp.panasonic.com
Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/11708/en
Conrad Hotels & Resorts to Debut in Ideal Central London Location
Conrad London Westminster to Welcome Guests in September 2014
LONDON. - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE) The inspired luxury of Conrad Hotels & Resorts is due to arrive in Westminster, central London, following a franchise agreement with Supreme Hotels LLP. The 256 guest room hotel will join the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of 23 existing Conrad hotels and resorts worldwide, including Dublin, Dubai, Istanbul, and Portugal. Conrad London Westminster, located between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, is expected to welcome guests beginning in September 2014.
John T.A. Vanderslice, global head, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Conrad creates inspired experiences for our guests in the world’s gateway cities and most sought after leisure destinations. London continues to be a political, cultural, and economic powerhouse in the world, which makes it a natural destination for international travellers. We look forward to introducing Conrad London Westminster to the city of London.”
Shiraz Boghani, Chairman of Supreme Hotels LLP, part of the Splendid Hospitality Group, said, “It is supremely exciting to be announcing our second involvement with Hilton Worldwide in as many weeks! Together with Hilton London Bankside, which we will open in Summer 2015, we will be offering two significant destination hotels for London. The Conrad brand with its focus on individually tailored luxury is perfect for our central London location in Westminster.”
Conrad Hotels & Resorts are known for their luxurious environments that are conducive with connecting with others. Effortlessly blending a historic 19th century building with locally inspired style and design, Conrad London Westminster will offer the next enhancement in intuitive, personalised service to accommodate the luxury traveller.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said, “London’s attractiveness as a tourism destination grows each year, contributing over £11bn annually to the U.K. economy. With rising international and domestic arrivals, and a thriving business environment, travellers can now experience the Conrad brand in a prime city centre location.”
The six-floor hotel features 256 beautiful rooms, including 42 premium rooms and luxurious suites including a discreet penthouse. All rooms reflect the hotel’s contemporary design, offering king-sized or twin beds, relaxing bathtubs, walk-in showers, free Wi-Fi, a media hub, a dedicated Club Lounge, and the latest in in-room technology.
The hotel’s restaurant reflects the style of its prestigious address, buzzing as an energetic destination to meet for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The bar brings a sense of charm and sophistication to the traditional British pub and offers carefully selected local ales, stylish cocktails, and British wines.
Conrad London Westminster will include a 24 hour business centre, seven fully equipped Conrad meeting rooms as well as the Whitehall Suite which can accommodate up to 300 guests.
The hotel is poised to become the destination of a new generation of smart luxury travellers for whom life, business, and pleasure seamlessly intersect. Conrad London Westminster will offer the popular Conrad Concierge mobile app, which gives global luxury travellers the ability to customize details of their hotel stay before, during, and after each visit via a smartphone or tablet. Whether it's pre-selecting bath amenities or checking-in while in-transit from the airport, guests can access a variety of features at any Conrad hotel or resort worldwide by using the app.
Conrad London Westminster will be situated at 28 Broadway, London SW1H 9JS. The hotel will participate in Hilton HHonors®, the only guest rewards program that allows members to earn Points & Miles® for the same stay and redeem points for free nights with No Blackout Dates at more than 4,100 hotels worldwide.
For more information about Conrad Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.conradhotels.com or http://news.conradhotels.com.
About Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Conrad Hotels & Resorts is the destination for the new generation of smart luxury travelers for whom life, business and pleasure seamlessly interact – people who know that the greatest luxury is the luxury of being yourself. A global brand consisting of 23 properties across five continents, Conrad offers guests personalized experiences with sophisticated, locally inspired surroundings and connections to people and places around the corner or halfway around the world. Intuitive service is delivered with the Conrad Concierge mobile app that puts Conrad’s services and amenities at the guest’s fingertips, whether ordering room service or a wakeup call to customizing the room’s pillow options or arranging reservations at our locally inspired cuisine and spa offerings. Conrad is a global luxury brand of Hilton Worldwide. Connect with Conrad by booking at www.conradhotels.com or www.conradhotels.com/offers. Learn more about the brand by visiting http://news.conradhotels.com.
Supreme Hotels LLP - part of the Splendid Hospitality Group
The Splendid Hospitality Group, is controlled and directed by Shiraz and Nadeem Boghani. The group is an owner, operator and developer of a portfolio of 13 hotels with nearly 1300 bedrooms located in London and across the UK, ranging from limited service to luxury. The group enjoys the support of major brands such as IHG, Choice and Hilton and operates 8 branded hotels. A further 5 sites (adding an extra 900 bedrooms) are at various stages of development.
Contacts
Tilly Shirlaw
Hilton Worldwide
tilly.shirlaw@hilton.com
+44 207 856 8723
John Walls
Hilton Worldwide
john.walls@hilton.com
+1 703 883 5232
Deborah Parritt
Supreme Hotels Group
deborah@adhocpr.com
+44 (0) 7734 110048
LONDON. - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE) The inspired luxury of Conrad Hotels & Resorts is due to arrive in Westminster, central London, following a franchise agreement with Supreme Hotels LLP. The 256 guest room hotel will join the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of 23 existing Conrad hotels and resorts worldwide, including Dublin, Dubai, Istanbul, and Portugal. Conrad London Westminster, located between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, is expected to welcome guests beginning in September 2014.
John T.A. Vanderslice, global head, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Conrad creates inspired experiences for our guests in the world’s gateway cities and most sought after leisure destinations. London continues to be a political, cultural, and economic powerhouse in the world, which makes it a natural destination for international travellers. We look forward to introducing Conrad London Westminster to the city of London.”
Shiraz Boghani, Chairman of Supreme Hotels LLP, part of the Splendid Hospitality Group, said, “It is supremely exciting to be announcing our second involvement with Hilton Worldwide in as many weeks! Together with Hilton London Bankside, which we will open in Summer 2015, we will be offering two significant destination hotels for London. The Conrad brand with its focus on individually tailored luxury is perfect for our central London location in Westminster.”
Conrad Hotels & Resorts are known for their luxurious environments that are conducive with connecting with others. Effortlessly blending a historic 19th century building with locally inspired style and design, Conrad London Westminster will offer the next enhancement in intuitive, personalised service to accommodate the luxury traveller.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said, “London’s attractiveness as a tourism destination grows each year, contributing over £11bn annually to the U.K. economy. With rising international and domestic arrivals, and a thriving business environment, travellers can now experience the Conrad brand in a prime city centre location.”
The six-floor hotel features 256 beautiful rooms, including 42 premium rooms and luxurious suites including a discreet penthouse. All rooms reflect the hotel’s contemporary design, offering king-sized or twin beds, relaxing bathtubs, walk-in showers, free Wi-Fi, a media hub, a dedicated Club Lounge, and the latest in in-room technology.
The hotel’s restaurant reflects the style of its prestigious address, buzzing as an energetic destination to meet for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The bar brings a sense of charm and sophistication to the traditional British pub and offers carefully selected local ales, stylish cocktails, and British wines.
Conrad London Westminster will include a 24 hour business centre, seven fully equipped Conrad meeting rooms as well as the Whitehall Suite which can accommodate up to 300 guests.
The hotel is poised to become the destination of a new generation of smart luxury travellers for whom life, business, and pleasure seamlessly intersect. Conrad London Westminster will offer the popular Conrad Concierge mobile app, which gives global luxury travellers the ability to customize details of their hotel stay before, during, and after each visit via a smartphone or tablet. Whether it's pre-selecting bath amenities or checking-in while in-transit from the airport, guests can access a variety of features at any Conrad hotel or resort worldwide by using the app.
Conrad London Westminster will be situated at 28 Broadway, London SW1H 9JS. The hotel will participate in Hilton HHonors®, the only guest rewards program that allows members to earn Points & Miles® for the same stay and redeem points for free nights with No Blackout Dates at more than 4,100 hotels worldwide.
For more information about Conrad Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.conradhotels.com or http://news.conradhotels.com.
About Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Conrad Hotels & Resorts is the destination for the new generation of smart luxury travelers for whom life, business and pleasure seamlessly interact – people who know that the greatest luxury is the luxury of being yourself. A global brand consisting of 23 properties across five continents, Conrad offers guests personalized experiences with sophisticated, locally inspired surroundings and connections to people and places around the corner or halfway around the world. Intuitive service is delivered with the Conrad Concierge mobile app that puts Conrad’s services and amenities at the guest’s fingertips, whether ordering room service or a wakeup call to customizing the room’s pillow options or arranging reservations at our locally inspired cuisine and spa offerings. Conrad is a global luxury brand of Hilton Worldwide. Connect with Conrad by booking at www.conradhotels.com or www.conradhotels.com/offers. Learn more about the brand by visiting http://news.conradhotels.com.
Supreme Hotels LLP - part of the Splendid Hospitality Group
The Splendid Hospitality Group, is controlled and directed by Shiraz and Nadeem Boghani. The group is an owner, operator and developer of a portfolio of 13 hotels with nearly 1300 bedrooms located in London and across the UK, ranging from limited service to luxury. The group enjoys the support of major brands such as IHG, Choice and Hilton and operates 8 branded hotels. A further 5 sites (adding an extra 900 bedrooms) are at various stages of development.
Contacts
Tilly Shirlaw
Hilton Worldwide
tilly.shirlaw@hilton.com
+44 207 856 8723
John Walls
Hilton Worldwide
john.walls@hilton.com
+1 703 883 5232
Deborah Parritt
Supreme Hotels Group
deborah@adhocpr.com
+44 (0) 7734 110048
PLEGRIDY™ (Peginterferon beta-1a) Approved in the European Union for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Thursday, July 24th 2014 [ME NewsWire]
Reduces Relapses, Disability Progression, and MRI Brain Lesions, with a Favorable Safety Profile Consistent with the Established Interferon Class –
– Initial Country Launches Expected to Begin in the Coming Weeks –
(BUSINESS WIRE) Today Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for PLEGRIDYTM (peginterferon beta-1a) as a treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), the most common form of multiple sclerosis (MS). PLEGRIDY is dosed once every two weeks and is administered subcutaneously with the PLEGRIDY PEN, a new ready-to-use autoinjector, or a prefilled syringe.
“PLEGRIDY offers people living with MS an interferon with compelling efficacy that requires considerably fewer injections than other platform therapies," said George A. Scangos, Ph.D., chief executive officer at Biogen Idec. “The approval of PLEGRIDY demonstrates our commitment to improving the lives of patients by providing innovative therapies that meet their individual needs, including flexibility in managing their disease.”
PLEGRIDY, the only pegylated interferon approved for use in RRMS, has been proven to significantly reduce important measures of disease activity, including number of relapses, MRI brain lesions, and disability progression.
The EC approval of PLEGRIDY is based on results from one of the largest pivotal studies of a beta interferon conducted, ADVANCE1, which involved more than 1,500 patients with relapsing forms of MS.
In the ADVANCE clinical trial, PLEGRIDY, dosed once every two weeks, significantly reduced annualized relapse rate (ARR) at one year by 36 percent compared to placebo (p=0.0007).
PLEGRIDY reduced the risk of sustained disability progression confirmed at twelve weeks by 38 percent (p=0.0383) and at twenty four weeks by 54 percent (p=0.0069, post-hoc analysis). In addition, the number of gadolinium-enhancing [Gd+] lesions was significantly reduced by 86 percent (p<0.0001) compared to placebo.
Results over two years of ADVANCE confirm that its robust efficacy was maintained beyond the placebo-controlled first year of the study.
“The safety and efficacy that PLEGRIDY has demonstrated, combined with its less frequent dosing schedule offers MS patients an option to put their treatment in the background for longer stretches of time,” said Professor Bernd C. Kieseier, M.D., Heinrich-Heine Universität, Dusseldorf.
The safety and tolerability profile of peginterferon beta-1a observed in ADVANCE1 was consistent with that of established MS interferon therapies. The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions with peginterferon beta-1a treatment (incidence ≥10% and at least 2% more frequent on peginterferon beta-1a than on placebo) were injection site reaction, flu-like illness, fever, headache, muscle pain, chills, injection site pain, weakness, injection site itching, and joint pain.1
PLEGRIDY is the fifth therapy to be offered by Biogen Idec to people living with MS, expanding on a portfolio that addresses individual patient needs.
For more information on PLEGRIDY, visit biogenidec.com. Additional resources on PLEGRIDY are available for the media upon request.
About PLEGRIDY™
PLEGRIDY is a subcutaneous injectable therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), in which interferon beta-1a is pegylated to extend its half-life to permit a less frequent dosing schedule. PLEGRIDY is a member of the interferon class of treatments for MS.
According to the EU Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC), the recommended starting dose of PLEGRIDY is 63 micrograms at dose 1, increasing to 94 micrograms at dose 2, reaching the full dose of 125 micrograms by dose 3 and continuing with the full dose (125 micrograms) every 2 weeks thereafter.
The safety and tolerability profile of PLEGRIDY observed in ADVANCE1 was consistent with that of established MS interferon therapies. PLEGRIDY should be administered with caution to patients with previous depressive disorders, seizures, severe hepatic impairment and severe renal impairment. Cytopenias, including rare severe neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, have been observed in patients treated with PLEGRIDY. The following have been reported with interferon beta medicinal products including PLEGRIDY: Elevations in hepatic enzymes, serious hypersensitivity reactions, injection site reactions with subcutaneous administration, including injection site necrosis, and worsening of cardiac disease.
In addition, the EU SmPC indicates that the use of interferon beta products is associated with cases of nephrotic syndrome, thrombotic microangiopathy manifested as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) or haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), hyper and hypothyroidism, hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, rare cases of severe hepatic failure, and decreased peripheral blood counts, including rare pancytopenia.
About Pegylation
Pegylation prolongs the circulation time of the molecule in the body by increasing its size, thus enabling a longer half-life, stabilizing the molecule by improving its solubility and shielding the molecule from enzymes in the body that try to break it down into smaller particles.3 Pegylation is a well-established scientific process that has been used for more than 20 years.2,3
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild or severe, ranging from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. The progression, severity and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide,4 with more than 600,000 sufferers in the European Union.5 Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is the most common form of MS accounting for 85 percent of cases. It is characterized by clearly defined acute attacks with full recovery or with residual deficit upon recovery.6
About Biogen Idec
Through cutting-edge science and medicine, Biogen Idec discovers, develops and delivers to patients worldwide innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hematologic conditions and autoimmune disorders. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is the world’s oldest independent biotechnology company and patients worldwide benefit from its leading multiple sclerosis and innovative hemophilia therapies. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the Company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the potential benefits of PLEGRIDY and the expected timing of commercial launch in the EU. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “target,” “will” and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including uncertainty of success in commercialization of PLEGRIDY, intense competition in the MS market, unexpected hurdles or difficulties in launching PLEGRIDY, difficulties obtaining or changes in the availability of reimbursement for PLEGRIDY, problems with our manufacturing processes for PLEGRIDY, the occurrence of adverse safety events, and the other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of our most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
References
1 Calabresi PA et al. Peginterferon Beta-1a Provides Improvements in Clinical and Radiological Disease Activity in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Year 1 Findings from the Phase 3 ADVANCE. Poster presented at 29th Congress of the European Committee for Research and Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis, 2013.
2 Bailon P and Won CY. PEG-modified biopharmaceuticals. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 6: 1-16, 2009.
3 Reuss R. PEGylated interferon beta-1a in the treatment of multiple sclerosis – an update. Biologics: Targets and Therapy 7: 131-139, 2013. Available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3686537/pdf/btt-7-131.pdf. Accessed March 2014.
4 Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, Atlas of MS 2013. Epidemiology of MS. Page 8. Date Accessed: Mar. 17, 2014. http://www.msif.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2013/m/msif-atlas-of-ms-2013-report.pdf?f=1
5 Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. Atlas of MS 2013. Epidemiology of MS. Date Accessed: Mar. 17, 2014. http://www.atlasofms.org/query.aspx
6 NMSS. Relapsing-Remitting MS. Date accessed: Mar. 17, 2014. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS/Relapsing-remitting-MS
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Ligia Del Bianco, +1 781-464-3260
public.affairs@biogenidec.com
Annabel Cowper, +41 41 392 17 05
publicaffairs.eu@biogenidec.com
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Ben Strain, +1 781-464-2442
IR@biogenidec.com
Claudine Prowse Ph.D., +1 781-464-2442
IR@biogenidec.com
Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/11712/en
Reduces Relapses, Disability Progression, and MRI Brain Lesions, with a Favorable Safety Profile Consistent with the Established Interferon Class –
– Initial Country Launches Expected to Begin in the Coming Weeks –
(BUSINESS WIRE) Today Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for PLEGRIDYTM (peginterferon beta-1a) as a treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), the most common form of multiple sclerosis (MS). PLEGRIDY is dosed once every two weeks and is administered subcutaneously with the PLEGRIDY PEN, a new ready-to-use autoinjector, or a prefilled syringe.
“PLEGRIDY offers people living with MS an interferon with compelling efficacy that requires considerably fewer injections than other platform therapies," said George A. Scangos, Ph.D., chief executive officer at Biogen Idec. “The approval of PLEGRIDY demonstrates our commitment to improving the lives of patients by providing innovative therapies that meet their individual needs, including flexibility in managing their disease.”
PLEGRIDY, the only pegylated interferon approved for use in RRMS, has been proven to significantly reduce important measures of disease activity, including number of relapses, MRI brain lesions, and disability progression.
The EC approval of PLEGRIDY is based on results from one of the largest pivotal studies of a beta interferon conducted, ADVANCE1, which involved more than 1,500 patients with relapsing forms of MS.
In the ADVANCE clinical trial, PLEGRIDY, dosed once every two weeks, significantly reduced annualized relapse rate (ARR) at one year by 36 percent compared to placebo (p=0.0007).
PLEGRIDY reduced the risk of sustained disability progression confirmed at twelve weeks by 38 percent (p=0.0383) and at twenty four weeks by 54 percent (p=0.0069, post-hoc analysis). In addition, the number of gadolinium-enhancing [Gd+] lesions was significantly reduced by 86 percent (p<0.0001) compared to placebo.
Results over two years of ADVANCE confirm that its robust efficacy was maintained beyond the placebo-controlled first year of the study.
“The safety and efficacy that PLEGRIDY has demonstrated, combined with its less frequent dosing schedule offers MS patients an option to put their treatment in the background for longer stretches of time,” said Professor Bernd C. Kieseier, M.D., Heinrich-Heine Universität, Dusseldorf.
The safety and tolerability profile of peginterferon beta-1a observed in ADVANCE1 was consistent with that of established MS interferon therapies. The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions with peginterferon beta-1a treatment (incidence ≥10% and at least 2% more frequent on peginterferon beta-1a than on placebo) were injection site reaction, flu-like illness, fever, headache, muscle pain, chills, injection site pain, weakness, injection site itching, and joint pain.1
PLEGRIDY is the fifth therapy to be offered by Biogen Idec to people living with MS, expanding on a portfolio that addresses individual patient needs.
For more information on PLEGRIDY, visit biogenidec.com. Additional resources on PLEGRIDY are available for the media upon request.
About PLEGRIDY™
PLEGRIDY is a subcutaneous injectable therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), in which interferon beta-1a is pegylated to extend its half-life to permit a less frequent dosing schedule. PLEGRIDY is a member of the interferon class of treatments for MS.
According to the EU Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC), the recommended starting dose of PLEGRIDY is 63 micrograms at dose 1, increasing to 94 micrograms at dose 2, reaching the full dose of 125 micrograms by dose 3 and continuing with the full dose (125 micrograms) every 2 weeks thereafter.
The safety and tolerability profile of PLEGRIDY observed in ADVANCE1 was consistent with that of established MS interferon therapies. PLEGRIDY should be administered with caution to patients with previous depressive disorders, seizures, severe hepatic impairment and severe renal impairment. Cytopenias, including rare severe neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, have been observed in patients treated with PLEGRIDY. The following have been reported with interferon beta medicinal products including PLEGRIDY: Elevations in hepatic enzymes, serious hypersensitivity reactions, injection site reactions with subcutaneous administration, including injection site necrosis, and worsening of cardiac disease.
In addition, the EU SmPC indicates that the use of interferon beta products is associated with cases of nephrotic syndrome, thrombotic microangiopathy manifested as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) or haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), hyper and hypothyroidism, hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, rare cases of severe hepatic failure, and decreased peripheral blood counts, including rare pancytopenia.
About Pegylation
Pegylation prolongs the circulation time of the molecule in the body by increasing its size, thus enabling a longer half-life, stabilizing the molecule by improving its solubility and shielding the molecule from enzymes in the body that try to break it down into smaller particles.3 Pegylation is a well-established scientific process that has been used for more than 20 years.2,3
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild or severe, ranging from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. The progression, severity and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide,4 with more than 600,000 sufferers in the European Union.5 Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is the most common form of MS accounting for 85 percent of cases. It is characterized by clearly defined acute attacks with full recovery or with residual deficit upon recovery.6
About Biogen Idec
Through cutting-edge science and medicine, Biogen Idec discovers, develops and delivers to patients worldwide innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hematologic conditions and autoimmune disorders. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is the world’s oldest independent biotechnology company and patients worldwide benefit from its leading multiple sclerosis and innovative hemophilia therapies. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the Company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the potential benefits of PLEGRIDY and the expected timing of commercial launch in the EU. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “target,” “will” and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including uncertainty of success in commercialization of PLEGRIDY, intense competition in the MS market, unexpected hurdles or difficulties in launching PLEGRIDY, difficulties obtaining or changes in the availability of reimbursement for PLEGRIDY, problems with our manufacturing processes for PLEGRIDY, the occurrence of adverse safety events, and the other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of our most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
References
1 Calabresi PA et al. Peginterferon Beta-1a Provides Improvements in Clinical and Radiological Disease Activity in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Year 1 Findings from the Phase 3 ADVANCE. Poster presented at 29th Congress of the European Committee for Research and Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis, 2013.
2 Bailon P and Won CY. PEG-modified biopharmaceuticals. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 6: 1-16, 2009.
3 Reuss R. PEGylated interferon beta-1a in the treatment of multiple sclerosis – an update. Biologics: Targets and Therapy 7: 131-139, 2013. Available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3686537/pdf/btt-7-131.pdf. Accessed March 2014.
4 Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, Atlas of MS 2013. Epidemiology of MS. Page 8. Date Accessed: Mar. 17, 2014. http://www.msif.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2013/m/msif-atlas-of-ms-2013-report.pdf?f=1
5 Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. Atlas of MS 2013. Epidemiology of MS. Date Accessed: Mar. 17, 2014. http://www.atlasofms.org/query.aspx
6 NMSS. Relapsing-Remitting MS. Date accessed: Mar. 17, 2014. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS/Relapsing-remitting-MS
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Ligia Del Bianco, +1 781-464-3260
public.affairs@biogenidec.com
Annabel Cowper, +41 41 392 17 05
publicaffairs.eu@biogenidec.com
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Ben Strain, +1 781-464-2442
IR@biogenidec.com
Claudine Prowse Ph.D., +1 781-464-2442
IR@biogenidec.com
Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/11712/en
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
OT's Cosmo RSA v5, the First Durbin-Compliant Debit Card Certified by MasterCard for the US EMV Migration
Cosmo v5 M/Chip™ Multi-Application enables use of two unaffiliated debit networks
COLOMBES, France - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oberthur Technologies (OT), a world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space, today announced that it has developed the first debit card certified by MasterCard that meets the Durbin Amendment guidelines. These guidelines require issuers to identify two unaffiliated debit networks, for each debit or prepaid card they issue.
OT’s Cosmo RSA v5 M/Chip™ Multi-Application is developed on OT’s Global Platform compliant and java-based operating systems and is capable of supporting dynamic data authentication. It builds upon the existing products available on OT Cosmo RSA v5 platform and is specifically designed to support the combination of MasterCard debit and the U.S. debit “Maestro U.S.” Application Identifiers (AID) required to support Debit cards issued in the U.S.A. The Cosmo RSA V5 M/Chip Multi-application has been developed to minimize memory requirements, allowing optimal support of the unique routing requirements stemming from the Durbin Amendment included in the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation.
“Being first to receive this MasterCard certification for the U.S. market is a major achievement for OT. It demonstrates OT’s ability to deliver the right products and services to our customers at the right time, leveraging our long and close relationship with MasterCard” said Martin Ferenczi, President for North America at OT.
“Thanks to our R&D and investments in North America, we are the first offering a product addressing the debit market in the US. With this new product, OT reinforces its position as an undisputed leader in the U.S. by now offering a complete range of U.S. debit compliant products, which support the EMV debit migration ramp-up in 2014” said Eric Duforest, Payment Business Unit Managing Director at OT.
OT manufactures all its EMV cards in the United States at its ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility in southeast Pennsylvania. OT has integrated support for the Cosmo RSA v5 M/Chip™ Multi-Application into its proprietary Common Personalization System (CPS), a single, global personalization engine which has been developed over the past ten years incorporating worldwide EMV best practices and deployed across Oberthur Technologies’ network of 40 personalization service centers. CPS has been personalizing EMV cards since 2010 in OT’s bi-coastal personalization service centers located in Northern Virginia and Southern California.
Cosmo RSA v5 is available for immediate deployment.
ABOUT OBERTHUR TECHNOLOGIES
OT is a world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space. OT has always been at the heart of mobility, from the first smart cards to the latest contactless payment technologies which equip millions of smartphones. Present in the Payment, Telecommunications and Identity markets, OT offers end-to-end solutions in the Smart Transactions, Mobile Financial Services, Machine-to-Machine, Digital Identity and Transport & Access Control fields. OT employs over 6 000 employees worldwide, including 600 R&D people. With more than 50 sales offices across 5 continents and 10 facilities, OT’s international network serves clients in 140 countries. For more information: www.oberthur.com
Download The M World, All you need to know about the latest trends of the Mobility world, available on AppStore and Google Play
FOLLOW US Twitter LinkedIn
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACTS
Oberthur Technologies
Audrey Besnardeau, Tel.: +33 1 78 14 76 75
a.besnardeau@oberthur.com
FTI Consulting Strategic Communication
Guillaume Granier/Eric Fohlen-Weill, Tel.: +33 1 47 03 68 10
oberthur@fticonsulting.com
Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/11686/en
COLOMBES, France - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oberthur Technologies (OT), a world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space, today announced that it has developed the first debit card certified by MasterCard that meets the Durbin Amendment guidelines. These guidelines require issuers to identify two unaffiliated debit networks, for each debit or prepaid card they issue.
OT’s Cosmo RSA v5 M/Chip™ Multi-Application is developed on OT’s Global Platform compliant and java-based operating systems and is capable of supporting dynamic data authentication. It builds upon the existing products available on OT Cosmo RSA v5 platform and is specifically designed to support the combination of MasterCard debit and the U.S. debit “Maestro U.S.” Application Identifiers (AID) required to support Debit cards issued in the U.S.A. The Cosmo RSA V5 M/Chip Multi-application has been developed to minimize memory requirements, allowing optimal support of the unique routing requirements stemming from the Durbin Amendment included in the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation.
“Being first to receive this MasterCard certification for the U.S. market is a major achievement for OT. It demonstrates OT’s ability to deliver the right products and services to our customers at the right time, leveraging our long and close relationship with MasterCard” said Martin Ferenczi, President for North America at OT.
“Thanks to our R&D and investments in North America, we are the first offering a product addressing the debit market in the US. With this new product, OT reinforces its position as an undisputed leader in the U.S. by now offering a complete range of U.S. debit compliant products, which support the EMV debit migration ramp-up in 2014” said Eric Duforest, Payment Business Unit Managing Director at OT.
OT manufactures all its EMV cards in the United States at its ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility in southeast Pennsylvania. OT has integrated support for the Cosmo RSA v5 M/Chip™ Multi-Application into its proprietary Common Personalization System (CPS), a single, global personalization engine which has been developed over the past ten years incorporating worldwide EMV best practices and deployed across Oberthur Technologies’ network of 40 personalization service centers. CPS has been personalizing EMV cards since 2010 in OT’s bi-coastal personalization service centers located in Northern Virginia and Southern California.
Cosmo RSA v5 is available for immediate deployment.
ABOUT OBERTHUR TECHNOLOGIES
OT is a world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space. OT has always been at the heart of mobility, from the first smart cards to the latest contactless payment technologies which equip millions of smartphones. Present in the Payment, Telecommunications and Identity markets, OT offers end-to-end solutions in the Smart Transactions, Mobile Financial Services, Machine-to-Machine, Digital Identity and Transport & Access Control fields. OT employs over 6 000 employees worldwide, including 600 R&D people. With more than 50 sales offices across 5 continents and 10 facilities, OT’s international network serves clients in 140 countries. For more information: www.oberthur.com
Download The M World, All you need to know about the latest trends of the Mobility world, available on AppStore and Google Play
FOLLOW US Twitter LinkedIn
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACTS
Oberthur Technologies
Audrey Besnardeau, Tel.: +33 1 78 14 76 75
a.besnardeau@oberthur.com
FTI Consulting Strategic Communication
Guillaume Granier/Eric Fohlen-Weill, Tel.: +33 1 47 03 68 10
oberthur@fticonsulting.com
Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/11686/en
Norwegian Olympic Committee: Marit Bjørgen Receives the "FAIR PLAY Mecenate" for 2014
OSLO, Norway - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Olympic champion in cross-country, Ms Marit Bjørgen, has been awarded the international Fair Play Mecenate award for 2014. Ms Bjørgen will receive the award in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy, on Wednesday 23 July.
- It is a great honour to be awarded such a prestigious award. I am proud and humble. To be recognised for a fair play award like the Fair Play Mecenate is something I highly appreciate. Although cross country is an individual sport, I would not be where I am today without the other girls on the team. I am proud to be part of a strong team with a good team spirit where we celebrate our teammates success, and support each other in good times and in bad times, says laureate Marit Bjørgen.
The jury of the Fair Play Mecenate consists of members from all continents and represents the international sports media and various international sports organisations. The jury states that the Fair Play Mecenate is awarded Marit Bjørgen «for the particular ethical and fair play behaviour that you have always had both in your agonistic career and in your demonstrations of great sportsmanship and solidarity».
- This is an acknowledgment of the athlete as well as the person Marit Bjørgen. For years she has been our best athlete and she is a great role model for young people around the world, says Mr Børre Rognlien, President of the Norwegian Olympic Committee.
Among previous winners of the award there are legends like Bob Beamon (Olympic champion, track and field), Lord Sebastian Coe (Olympic champion, track and field), and Paolo Rossi (World champion in football for Italy in 1982).
- Marit Bjørgen has for several years been a role model for athletes in particular, and children and youth in general. She is generous both within sports and as a person, and she represents sports in an excellent manner. This is highly valued by the entire ski-community in Norway. The fact that she now receives international appreciation proves that she has been recognised for her positive attitude far beyond Norway's borders, says Mr Erik Røste, President of the Norwegian Ski Federation.
Bjørgen will receive the award at a formal ceremony in Castiglion Fiorentino, Wednesday 23 July.
Read more about the award here: http://www.premiofairplay.com/en
Contacts
Karl Singdahlsen
Norwegian Olympic Committee
(+47) 92640601
kalle@idrettsforbundet.no
Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/11698/en
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Olympic champion in cross-country, Ms Marit Bjørgen, has been awarded the international Fair Play Mecenate award for 2014. Ms Bjørgen will receive the award in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy, on Wednesday 23 July.
- It is a great honour to be awarded such a prestigious award. I am proud and humble. To be recognised for a fair play award like the Fair Play Mecenate is something I highly appreciate. Although cross country is an individual sport, I would not be where I am today without the other girls on the team. I am proud to be part of a strong team with a good team spirit where we celebrate our teammates success, and support each other in good times and in bad times, says laureate Marit Bjørgen.
The jury of the Fair Play Mecenate consists of members from all continents and represents the international sports media and various international sports organisations. The jury states that the Fair Play Mecenate is awarded Marit Bjørgen «for the particular ethical and fair play behaviour that you have always had both in your agonistic career and in your demonstrations of great sportsmanship and solidarity».
- This is an acknowledgment of the athlete as well as the person Marit Bjørgen. For years she has been our best athlete and she is a great role model for young people around the world, says Mr Børre Rognlien, President of the Norwegian Olympic Committee.
Among previous winners of the award there are legends like Bob Beamon (Olympic champion, track and field), Lord Sebastian Coe (Olympic champion, track and field), and Paolo Rossi (World champion in football for Italy in 1982).
- Marit Bjørgen has for several years been a role model for athletes in particular, and children and youth in general. She is generous both within sports and as a person, and she represents sports in an excellent manner. This is highly valued by the entire ski-community in Norway. The fact that she now receives international appreciation proves that she has been recognised for her positive attitude far beyond Norway's borders, says Mr Erik Røste, President of the Norwegian Ski Federation.
Bjørgen will receive the award at a formal ceremony in Castiglion Fiorentino, Wednesday 23 July.
Read more about the award here: http://www.premiofairplay.com/en
Contacts
Karl Singdahlsen
Norwegian Olympic Committee
(+47) 92640601
kalle@idrettsforbundet.no
Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/11698/en
Panasonic Provides Power Supply Container in Indonesia as a Stand-alone Photovoltaic Power Package
ME NewsWire/Business Wire
OSAKA, Japan - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014
Panasonic Corporation announced it installed the “Power Supply Container,” as a stand-alone photovoltaic power package that it developed, to the National Elementary School Karimunjawa 01 in Karimunjawa Island, Jepara District, Central Jawa Province, Indonesia. On July 17, 2014, a handover ceremony was held jointly with Koperasi Pundih Artah, a project partner; and the Institute of Business and Economic Democracy Foundation (IBEKA), an Indonesian NGO.
Karimunjawa is an area where electricity is available at night thanks to diesel generators. However, in the daytime these generators are stopped and no electricity can be used by the residents of the village. As no power for the village during the daytime interferes with administrative and commercial activities, improvement of the educational environment had been the top priority for the island. To solve this social issue, Koperasi Pundih Artah, which received Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security, IBEKA and Panasonic have launched a project for improving the educational environment, by supplying and installing the Power Supply Container, under the cooperation of Jepara District and the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia.
During school hours, the Power Supply Container gives support to improve the educational environment; children can use LED lighting fixtures, ceiling fans and audiovisual educational materials using PCs and TVs. When there are no classes, the electricity is sold to nearby areas through a management association of the Power Supply Container to contribute to activation of the regional community and improve the regional electricity infrastructure.
Panasonic has made efforts to provide the Power Supply Container and to offer IBEKA with technical assistance in this project. Meanwhile, IBEKA is giving support for establishing management associations in Karimunjawa for independent operation of power supplies as well as provides training and supports for their operation, management and maintenance to achieve a sustainable power supply in Karimunjawa.
Panasonic will further strive to extend a stable power supply to areas without electricity and backup power sources to places that suffer frequent power blackouts, and provide improved social support, including emergency power sources, in the event of disasters. The Company will provide a more rich and comfortable lifestyle in Indonesia and other emerging countries with problems in electricity infrastructure.
Outline of the Power Supply Container
The Power Supply Container is equipped with twelve Panasonic “HIT(R)240” solar modules which have high conversion efficiency and can generate approximately 3 kW of electricity. It can also provide stored power from 24 built-in lead-acid storage batteries (17.2 kWh as total).
Features of the Power Supply Container
(1) Reliable quality performance (2) Easy and quick assembly for portability and expansion (3) Utilization of Panasonic accumulated technologies
Learn more:
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KwTgR5mSkQ News: http://news.panasonic.net/stories/2014/0722_28041.html Story: http://panasonic.net/sustainability/en/lantern/2014/07/karimunjawa.html Photos: https://plus.google.com/photos/102894371789579256396/albums/6038447617820983137 Eco Solutions Company: http://panasonic.net/es
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140722005738/en
Contacts
Panasonic Corporation
Global Communication Group
Public Relations Office
+81-3-3574-5729
presscontact@ml.jp.panasonic.com
Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/11692/en
OSAKA, Japan - Wednesday, July 23rd 2014
Panasonic Corporation announced it installed the “Power Supply Container,” as a stand-alone photovoltaic power package that it developed, to the National Elementary School Karimunjawa 01 in Karimunjawa Island, Jepara District, Central Jawa Province, Indonesia. On July 17, 2014, a handover ceremony was held jointly with Koperasi Pundih Artah, a project partner; and the Institute of Business and Economic Democracy Foundation (IBEKA), an Indonesian NGO.
Karimunjawa is an area where electricity is available at night thanks to diesel generators. However, in the daytime these generators are stopped and no electricity can be used by the residents of the village. As no power for the village during the daytime interferes with administrative and commercial activities, improvement of the educational environment had been the top priority for the island. To solve this social issue, Koperasi Pundih Artah, which received Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security, IBEKA and Panasonic have launched a project for improving the educational environment, by supplying and installing the Power Supply Container, under the cooperation of Jepara District and the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia.
During school hours, the Power Supply Container gives support to improve the educational environment; children can use LED lighting fixtures, ceiling fans and audiovisual educational materials using PCs and TVs. When there are no classes, the electricity is sold to nearby areas through a management association of the Power Supply Container to contribute to activation of the regional community and improve the regional electricity infrastructure.
Panasonic has made efforts to provide the Power Supply Container and to offer IBEKA with technical assistance in this project. Meanwhile, IBEKA is giving support for establishing management associations in Karimunjawa for independent operation of power supplies as well as provides training and supports for their operation, management and maintenance to achieve a sustainable power supply in Karimunjawa.
Panasonic will further strive to extend a stable power supply to areas without electricity and backup power sources to places that suffer frequent power blackouts, and provide improved social support, including emergency power sources, in the event of disasters. The Company will provide a more rich and comfortable lifestyle in Indonesia and other emerging countries with problems in electricity infrastructure.
Outline of the Power Supply Container
The Power Supply Container is equipped with twelve Panasonic “HIT(R)240” solar modules which have high conversion efficiency and can generate approximately 3 kW of electricity. It can also provide stored power from 24 built-in lead-acid storage batteries (17.2 kWh as total).
Features of the Power Supply Container
(1) Reliable quality performance (2) Easy and quick assembly for portability and expansion (3) Utilization of Panasonic accumulated technologies
Learn more:
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KwTgR5mSkQ News: http://news.panasonic.net/stories/2014/0722_28041.html Story: http://panasonic.net/sustainability/en/lantern/2014/07/karimunjawa.html Photos: https://plus.google.com/photos/102894371789579256396/albums/6038447617820983137 Eco Solutions Company: http://panasonic.net/es
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140722005738/en
Contacts
Panasonic Corporation
Global Communication Group
Public Relations Office
+81-3-3574-5729
presscontact@ml.jp.panasonic.com
Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/11692/en
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