DARMSTADT, Germany & NEW YORK - Thursday, October 8th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Fast Track milestone for avelumab builds upon recent Orphan Drug designation in this aggressive skin cancer Fast Track designation highlights the serious, unmet medical need that exists for patients with this disease (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck and Pfizer today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted avelumab*, an investigational fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody, Fast Track designation for the treatment of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and aggressive type of skin cancer.1,2 This announcement builds on the recent FDA Orphan Drug designation that was granted for avelumab on September 21, 2015 for the treatment of MCC. The Fast Track designation is designed to facilitate the development, and expedite the review, of drugs to treat serious conditions and address an unmet medical need. “We are pleased that the FDA continues to acknowledge the current high unm ... Read more »

HEFEI, China - Thursday, October 8th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- According to figures released by China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, 91859 units of JAC S3 were sold during the first half year of 2015, topping the sales list amongst all compact SUVs in China. Following the success of S3, JAC recently launched another compact SUV S2. JAC receives S2 orders of more than 10,000 units in 18 days JAC held an internet release conference on August 31st and an on-site release conference at the 2015 Chengdu Motor Show on September 4th, and received orders of more than 10,000 units in just 18 days. The S2 internet release conference attracted more than 2 million participants and became an instant hit on BBS and SNS. S2’s stunning sporty appearance attracts young buyers Considered as typically energetic and young, S2 has a sporty appearance highlighting aesthetic details that appeal to a young population. S2 features a front grill with a high-impact bumper, chrome-trimmed ... Read more »

SpaceIL Becomes First Google Lunar XPRIZE Team to Produce a Verified Launch Contract for a 2017 Mission, Using a SpaceX Falcon 9 Launcher via Spaceflight Industries JERUSALEM - Wednesday, October 7th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- At a press conference held in Jerusalem today, alongside Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, and Bob Weiss, vice chairman and president of XPRIZE, SpaceIL announced a significant milestone in its race to the moon: securing a “ticket to the moon” on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher, with a mission scheduled for the second half of 2017. With this, SpaceIL becomes the first team to produce a verified launch contract in the US$30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE competition, and aims to accomplish not only the first Israeli mission to the moon, but also the world’s first private lunar mission. “We are proud to officially confirm receipt and verification of SpaceIL’s launch contract, positioning them as the first and only Google Lunar XPRIZE team to demonstrate this im ... Read more »

Mobile Operator Investments Fuelling Innovation and Inclusion Across Sub-Saharan Africa CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Thursday, October 8th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- The mobile industry in Sub-Saharan Africa contributed more than US$100 billion to the region’s economy last year, according to a new GSMA study published at the ‘Mobile 360 Series – Africa’ conference being held in Cape Town this week. The new study, ‘The Mobile Economy – Sub-Saharan Africa 2015’, finds that the US$102 billion economic contribution in 2014 was equivalent to 5.7 per cent of the region’s GDP1. Mobile operators directly contributed US$31 billion, representing 1.7 per cent of GDP. This economic contribution is set to increase over the coming years as mobile operators continue to extend connectivity to unconnected populations across the region and roll out new mobile broadband networks and services. The industry is forecast to contribute US$160 billion in value to the region by 2020, equivalent to 8 p ... Read more »

Beirut, Lebanon - Monday, October 5th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Armenian-Lebanese interior designer and design mogul Vick Vanlian’s high-end designs are witnessing peek demand, with consumers from the Gulf region lining up to commission the multi disciplinary designer and his acclaimed firm. His success has been spearheaded by high-profile clients, pop stars in addition to members of various royal families in the Middle East. With a team of ten designers behind him, Vanlian’s office and boutique in Saifi village Beirut ,showcases the eponymous works of architecture, interiors ,furniture design and accessories , continuing to craft and fulfill the increasing demand. The design firm is famed for its treatment of each item as a challenge, one which should scream individuality and dare the viewer yet maintain a harmonious aesthetic. The aesthetics of Vick’s works are a melting point between eclectic and bold – targeting the global, high-end consumer who seeks both utility and refined taste. ... Read more »

Le dirigeant des ventes expérimenté rejoint l'équipe afin d'accélérer la croissance rapide de SciQuest à l'heure où la société poursuit la transformation de l'activité d'achat dans la région EMOA MORRISVILLE, CAROLINE DU NORD - Samedi 10 Octobre 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)--SciQuest, Inc. (Nasdaq : SQI), fournisseur leader de solutions d'automatisation commerciale basée dans le cloud destinées à la gestion des dépenses, a annoncé aujourd'hui la nomination de Mike Lunt au poste de vice-président des ventes pour la région EMOA. M. Lunt dirigera l'expansion continue et l'évolution du portefeuille de clients et de l'offre de services de SciQuest dans la région EMOA. En outre, il collaborera avec les employés de la société basés au Royaume-Uni et en Allemagne afin de garantir que les clients bénéficient d'une approche plus stratégique en matière de solutions d'achat, d'approvisionnement et de paiement. SciQuest connaît une croissance rapide dans la région EMOA depuis les cinq dern ... Read more »

Experienced sales leader joins team to accelerate rapid growth as SciQuest continues to transform procurement across EMEA MORRISVILLE, N.C. - Thursday, October 8th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- SciQuest, Inc. (Nasdaq: SQI), a leading provider of cloud-based business automation solutions for spend management, today announced the appointment of Mike Lunt as vice president of sales for the EMEA region. Lunt will lead the continued expansion and evolution of SciQuest’s customer portfolio and service offerings in EMEA. Additionally, he will work with the company’s staff in the United Kingdom and Germany to ensure customers can benefit from a more strategic approach to procurement, sourcing and settlement solutions. SciQuest has experienced rapid growth in the EMEA region over the last five years and anticipates continued expansion as regional and global companies automate and streamline their procurement processes. Specifically, SciQuest’s recent growth is due in part to its deep ... Read more »