Connect with us

Technology

Ovation.io and PD Theranostics (PDTx) Complete Merger Creating a Multiomic Data Company Which Owns a Unique Population-Scale Biobank of Disease-Specific Biospecimens

Published

on

Ovation owns a unique population-scale biobank of consented and linkable disease-specific biospecimens, which includes more than 1.6 million samples from over 600,000 United States-based patients; approximately one-third are tissue samples. Ovation plans to continue expanding the biobank with the addition of 200,000 + patient samples per monthOvation’s biobank includes tissue, blood, and other sample types from patients with diseases of current discovery and development interest including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), liver disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardio-metabolic/GLP-1, various types of cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s diseaseThe Company plans to produce a database of linked omics and patient/clinical data for each diseaseThe merger combines teams with deep domain expertise in human genetics, disease pathogenesis, and pathology

PORTLAND, Maine and BOSTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ovation.io and PDTx today announced the completion of their merger. The new entity creates an industry-leading multiomics data company managed by a team with deep expertise in genomics data, sequencing, bioinformatics, cell biology, and imaging, AI/ML and data commercialization. The Company’s enhanced platform capabilities and data libraries can drive deeper insights into cellular biology and gene expression for research, drug development, and clinical decision-making, and across a broad range of diseases.

“We believe the two companies are deeply complementary and will provide our customers with best-in-class, diverse multiomics data,” said Curt Medeiros, CEO of Ovation. “These one-of-a-kind data sets will combine Ovation’s DNA and RNA sequencing of patient samples in a given disease state with PDTx’s mapping of cellular footprints, spatial context, immune system functionality and markers, as well as clinical pathology imaging. This will help drive our client’s R&D efforts, from target and biomarker discovery, through optimized clinical trial enrollment.”

Human genomic data has become an increasingly important tool in disease target and biomarker discovery. By analyzing an individual’s genetic makeup, especially in relation to clinical progression and outcomes, researchers are able to better understand the underlying causes of diseases and identify potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Ovation is building the world’s broadest commercially available human genomic dataset that brings together whole genome sequences with longitudinal clinical records at the patient level (“clinic-genomics data”) to address the speed and cost at which new research efforts can be powered by human genomics. This clinic-genomics database will enable a depth and breadth of analytics not currently possible due to the scale, continuous flow of new patient samples, and diversity of patients.

“The Ovation and PDTx teams are energized and have been collaborating for the past year to position our first proof-of-concept programs in IBD and prostate cancer for groundbreaking results,” said Patrick Gallagher, CEO of PDTx. “The in-house biobank will allow the team to accelerate data generation and more fully leverage the PDTx platform’s high dimensional, multiomic modalities that characterize cellular status. This includes changes in and predictiveness of proteins, glycans, metabolites and cell-cell spatial relationships that can drive discovery and correlations with pathological features of disease severity, progression and therapeutic response.”

PDTx has developed a disease-agnostic platform to analyze data collected across multiple high-dimensional imaging technologies to discover new drug development targets and identify critical biomarkers of disease progression and therapeutic response. The PDTx platform provides the ability to visualize the presence, concentration, and distribution of molecules and analyze intra- and inter-molecular and phenotypic single-cell relationships and their impact on morphology. Ovation will retain PDTx’s exclusive global license for the platform and its intellectual property from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) at (MGH).

“Ovation’s ability to continuously scale its biobank and data to expand its curated disease cohorts that are representative of racial and geographic diversity in the United States is completely novel,” noted Mike Self, co-founder of StageDotO Ventures. “Linking this with longitudinal patient data creates a totally unique product that will allow for more targeted and efficient investment in development programs for our clients.”

By combining imaging and sequencing, state-of-the-art multiomics can map the location of specific proteins and chemical products in tissues and identify the location of presence of these chemical entities. This provides a critical perspective about the cellular microenvironment and inter-cellular interactions in biopsies of diseased tissue.

“We are incredibly excited to collaborate with the research team at Ovation,” said Mark Poznansky, M.D., Ph.D, director of the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. ” Connecting genetic data with cellular, structural and chemical details of tissue affected by IBD or prostate cancer can lead to important translational medical progress. For example, our combining a multiomics platform that provides information on both the genetic and protein signature in blood as well the location of specific chemicals and cells within a tissue, can help identify new sets of biomarkers that are potentially impactful diagnostically and prognostically as well as revealing of new disease related therapeutic targets.”  

About Ovation
Ovation is an omics data company committed to accelerating the development of precision medicine. Ovation provides life sciences R&D teams access to high-quality omics data linked to rich, longitudinal clinical data, across therapeutic areas, at population scale. Ovation’s data increases the probability of success for drug discovery by enabling the identification and validation of biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The company has an extensive biobank of more than 1.6 million geographically diverse, consented biospecimens from over 625,000 unique patients. For more information, visit www.ovation.io or follow the company on LinkedIn.

About PD Theranostics
PDTx is a data driven healthcare company focused on leveraging proprietary workflows and using multi parameter imaging-based methodologies to generate robust, one-of-a-kind multi-omic cellular biology based databases for numerous disease states. Our proprietary imaging processes, driven by a multi-omics approach, will generate spatial roadmaps of human cancers and other diseases, leading to unparalleled data richness and depth. Through our ability to map tissue structures and immune populations, we believe we could more clearly define disease stage, and likelihood of disease progression, and identify the most efficacious treatment regimens for each patient.

Contact Information
Info@ovation.io

Forward-Looking Statement
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to the advancement and development of the Ovation Platform and other information that is not historical information. When used herein, words such as “anticipate”, “being”, “will”, “plan”, “may”, “continue”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based on Ovation’s current expectations and various assumptions. Ovation believes there is a reasonable basis for its expectations and beliefs, but they are inherently uncertain. Ovation may not realize its expectations, and its beliefs may not prove correct. Actual results could differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including, without limitation, market conditions. Consequently, forward-looking statements should be regarded solely as Ovation’s current plans, estimates and beliefs. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Ovation cannot guarantee future results, events, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Ovation does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to update, republish, or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrences of unanticipated events, except as may be required by law.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ovationio-and-pd-theranostics-pdtx-complete-merger-creating-a-multiomic-data-company-which-owns-a-unique-population-scale-biobank-of-disease-specific-biospecimens-302239632.html

SOURCE Ovation.io

Continue Reading

Technology

BCE reports results of Series S and T preferred share conversions

Published

on

By

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 19, 2026 /CNW/ — BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) today announced that 400 of its 4,798,333 fixed-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series T (“Series T Preferred Shares”) have been tendered for conversion on November 2, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into floating-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series S (“Series S Preferred Shares”). In addition, 676,765 of its 1,866,877 Series S Preferred Shares have been tendered for conversion on November 2, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into Series T Preferred Shares. Consequently, on November 2, 2026, BCE will have 5,474,698 Series T Preferred Shares and 1,190,512 Series S Preferred Shares issued and outstanding. The Series T Preferred Shares and the Series S Preferred Shares will continue to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols BCE.PR.T and BCE.PR.S, respectively.

The Series T Preferred Shares will pay on a quarterly basis, for the five-year period beginning on November 2, 2026, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of BCE, a fixed cash dividend based on an annual fixed dividend rate of 5.523%.

The Series S Preferred Shares will continue to pay a monthly floating adjustable cash dividend for the five-year period beginning on November 2, 2026, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of BCE. The monthly floating adjustable dividend for any particular month will continue to be calculated based on the prime rate for such month and using the Designated Percentage for such month representing the sum of an adjustment factor (based on the market price of the Series S Preferred Shares in the preceding month) and the Designated Percentage for the preceding month.

About BCE
BCE is Canada’s largest communications company1, leading the way in advanced fibre and wireless networks, enterprise services and digital media. By delivering next-generation technology that leverages cloud-based and AI-driven solutions, we’re keeping customers connected, informed and entertained while enabling businesses to compete on the world stage. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

1 Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.

Media inquiries:
Ellen Murphy
media@bell.ca

Investor inquiries:
Krishna Somers
krishna.somers@bell.ca

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bce-reports-results-of-series-s-and-t-preferred-share-conversions-302913268.html

SOURCE BCE Inc.

Continue Reading

Technology

3M announces collaboration with GSEO to advance Expanded Beam Optical manufacturing and development

Published

on

By

ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 3M (NYSE: MMM) today announced a collaboration with Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd. (GSEO, Taiwan: 3406), an optical technology company, to advance technology development and manufacturing for 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) solutions. In support of these efforts, 3M expects to make a strategic investment to acquire approximately 4.7% of GSEO’s common shares as part of the company’s private placement of newly issued shares, subject to customary closing conditions.

The collaboration brings together 3M’s EBO technology leadership, optical interconnect expertise, materials science, manufacturing scale and customer relationships with GSEO’s precision optics manufacturing capabilities and production scale. Together, the companies aim to support EBO commercialization and long-term capacity expansion to meet growing demand from hyperscale data centers and other advanced connectivity applications.

“3M is investing in capabilities and partnerships that can accelerate innovation for our customers,” said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. “By selecting GSEO as a manufacturing partner and investing in the company, we are strengthening the path to scale next-generation optical connectivity solutions for high-performance data center infrastructure.”

GSEO’s existing precision optics manufacturing capabilities and technical development experience are expected to support manufacturing readiness for 3M’s EBO ferrules, co-packaged optics solutions and related optical interconnect applications. The collaboration is part of 3M’s broader EBO ecosystem strategy, which includes continued work with customers and partners across the optical interconnect market.

“GSEO is pleased to expand its relationship with 3M as we work together to advance optical interconnect solutions for next-generation data center infrastructure,” said Micro Kuo, GSEO CEO and President. “This collaboration brings together complementary technology and manufacturing strengths to support continued innovation and help meet the performance demands of high-growth connectivity markets.”

3M expects the strategic investment to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release are considered “forward-looking statements” under the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and are intended to enjoy the protection of those laws. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this release and are typically identified by the words “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “evaluate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “guidance,” “impact,” “initial,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “probable,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and other words that are similar to, or have the opposite meanings of, those words. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, 3M assumes no duty to update those statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of those statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events and trends that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of 3M’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.

Contacts
3M
Investor Contact:
Diane Farrow, 612-202-2449
Media Contact:
3MNews@mmm.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/3m-announces-collaboration-with-gseo-to-advance-expanded-beam-optical-manufacturing-and-development-302913170.html

SOURCE 3M Company

Continue Reading

Technology

Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers Announces Second Annual Operation Fur-Ever Home Pet Adoption Event at Lafreniere Park

Published

on

By

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is excited to announce the return of its second annual Operation Fur-Ever Home, a free community pet adoption event taking place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, Louisiana.

The free, family-friendly event will give attendees the opportunity to meet adoptable pets from local animal shelters, learn about responsible pet ownership, and potentially welcome a new furry companion into their homes. Those who preregister for the event will also be entered for a chance to win a Soundcore speaker and a free pet adoption.

“Last year’s event was everything we hoped it would be, and we are incredibly excited to bring Operation Fur-Ever Home back for a second year,” said David Vicknair, founding partner of Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers. “There is something special about watching a family meet a pet that could become part of their lives for years to come. We wanted to create another opportunity to make those connections while supporting the organizations that work tirelessly to care for animals in our community.”

Building on the success of the first event, this year’s event continues the firm’s commitment to supporting local animal shelters and creating meaningful opportunities for families throughout Southeast Louisiana.

“Giving back to our community has always been an important part of who we are as a firm,” said Vicknair. “Whether we are helping students prepare for school, recognizing deserving teachers, or supporting local animal shelters, our goal is to make a positive difference in the communities we serve.”

Operation Fur-Ever Home is free and open to the public. Families, animal lovers, and anyone interested in adopting a pet are encouraged to attend and preregister.

About Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is a New Orleans-based personal injury firm committed to providing exceptional legal representation while also investing in the communities it serves. Their experienced team of dedicated attorneys specializes in car accidents, personal injury, and wrongful death cases in New Orleans. With diverse personal and professional backgrounds, they craft legal strategies tailored to each client’s specific case and needs.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scott-vicknair-personal-injury-lawyers-announces-second-annual-operation-fur-ever-home-pet-adoption-event-at-lafreniere-park-302913183.html

SOURCE Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

Continue Reading

Trending