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    <li>
      <p>
        Lycia Therapeutics has raised ~USD 107 million in a Series C funding round led by Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners. with participation from new investors including Janus Henderson Investors, Marshall Wace, Franklin Templeton, as well as existing investors such as Redmile Group, RTW Investments, and Eli Lilly and Company.
      </p>
    </li>
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      <p>
        The company expects to use the funds to advance its lead therapeutic candidates, which focus on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, into the clinical stage.&nbsp;
      </p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>
        Lycia Therapeutics is a biotechnology firm specializing in developing novel therapeutics through its proprietary Lysosomal Targeting Chimera (LYTAC) platform. This platform is designed to degrade extracellular and membrane-bound proteins often implicated in autoimmune disorders and cancers. The company's approach targets undruggable proteins, focusing on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases​.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
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  </p>
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<div>
  <p>
    <a href="https://lyciatx.com/lycia-therapeutics-completes-106-6-million-series-c-financing-to-advance-pipeline-of-lytac-extracellular-protein-degraders-to-the-clinic/">
      Press release
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
  </p>
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Precision Medicine

<div>
 <p>Lycia Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, has garnered approximately USD 107 million through a Series C funding round. The funding round was steered by Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners and saw the participation of several new investors like Janus Henderson Investors, Marshall Wace, and Franklin Templeton, alongside existing contributors including Redmile Group, RTW Investments, and Eli Lilly and Company.</p>
 <p>The raised capital is expected to be deployed towards advancing Lycia Therapeutics' principal therapeutic candidates connected to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, into the clinical stage. </p>
 <p>Lycia Therapeutics' main specialization lies in creating cutting-edge therapeutics through its unique platform called Lysosomal Targeting Chimera (LYTAC). This platform's main functionality is to degrade extracellular and membrane-bound proteins that are usually found in autoimmune disorders and cancers. By targeting these so-called 'undruggable' proteins, the company mainly focuses on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.</p>
 
</div>

Lycia Therapeutics raises USD 107 million in Series C funding for clinical development of lead therapeutic candidates

Earth-friendly biotech solutions for the textile, packaging and construction industries.

Bio-based Materials

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 
 <p>Material science leader, Dow, has launched a bio-derived version of its ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, known as NORDEL REN EPDM, at the 2024 German Rubber Conference.</p>
 <p>Sourced from bio residues of other industries, NORDEL REN EPDM can be used in various applications such as automotive weather seals and hoses, building profiles, roofing membranes, and wire and cable components. The ISCC PLUS-certified mass balance system incorporated in its production allows for traceability of the bio-based raw materials.</p>
 <p>According to Dow, the production of NORDEL REN EPDM that leverages Dow's advanced molecular catalyst technology consumes 24% less energy and reduces carbon footprint by 39%, compared to conventional processes.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Dow’s latest addition to its portfolio of sustainable industrial materials follows the <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/27847"> March 2024 </a> launch of two new forms of propylene glycol (PG) known as propylene glycol CIR and propylene glycol REN in North America. These products have applications in personal care, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food ingredients, flavorings, fragrances, agricultural, and industrial applications.</p>

Dow introduces bio-derived NORDEL REN EPDM at German Rubber Conference

Automation to improve business efficiency

Workflow Automation Platforms

<div>
 <p>UiPath has added new features that incorporate GenAI into its UiPath Business Automation Platform, making workflow automation more straightforward for developers and testers. </p>
 <p>The new Autopilot feature for developers leverages GenAI to support text-to-workflow, text-to-expressions, and text-to-code functionalities. These capabilities allow developers to construct workflows using natural language descriptions of their automation ideas, expressions, or code. The update also introduces the ability to transform PDF forms, text, or images into UiPath Apps, offering a convenient way to create apps from PDF files or paper form images. For testers, the UiPath Autopilot provides assistance with test case generation, automated test creation, and live test insights. </p>
 <p>Furthermore, UiPath has improved its Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) capabilities. The updates include specialized LLMs for document and message processing (DocPath and CommPath), the use of active learning for effortless model training, and generative validation to verify model outputs via GenAI. </p>
</div>

UiPath integrates GenAI capabilities into workflow automation platform

<div>
 <p>HuLoop Automation has released the latest version of its Unified Automation Software Platform (v6). This no-code platform comprises three elements: Intelligent Productivity Discovery, Intelligent Process Automation, and Intelligent Test Automation.</p>
 <p>The new version boasts features such as Cognitive OCR Enhancements for document comprehension and content extraction, Human-in-the-Loop Enhancements for decision-making during automation execution, Mobile Recorders for both iOS and Android to create automation scripts, and a Third-Party Migration Import Utility for importing code from other platforms.</p>
</div>

HuLoop launches V6 of Unified Automation Software Platform

Providing a seamless consumer experience is one hope for bringing back brick and mortar retail, automated stores are being built to do just that.

Automated Stores

<div>
 <p>The computer vision startup from Israel, Trigo, has teamed up with the German retailer REWE Group to open up a cashierless supermarket in Hamburg, Germany. This shop is proclaimed as the largest computer vision-powered supermarket in Europe, with an area of 1,200 sq m and offers a total of 20,000 items. Three self-checkout methods are available for customer convenience: a computer vision-powered mobile app, computer-powered checkout kiosks, and traditional self-checkout kiosks where customers can scan their own purchases. Along with these, manned cashiers are also available for traditional checkout.&nbsp;</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake</b> :<br>
 Trigo and REWE have launched cashierless store concepts in Munich and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/29302"> Düsseldorf </a> , Germany. REWE also launched its first cashierless store in <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/30364"> Romania in June 2024 </a> with Trigo.&nbsp;</p>

Trigo partners with REWE to launch cashierless store in Hamburg, Germany

Additive manufacturing makes objects by systematically adding material via a CAD program

Additive Manufacturing

<div>
 
 <p>Stratasys and Ricoh USA have extended their partnership on a clinical study assessing the use of 3D-printed models for preoperative planning in orthopedic oncology. Originally teamed up in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24389"> December 2023 </a> for 3D printing of anatomical models in healthcare, the companies aim to study the models' impact on preoperative planning and tumor removal. Key assessments will be if these models can minimize blood loss, mitigate procedural risks, and decrease operative duration compared to traditional CT or MRI imaging.</p>
 <p>The study is slated for a duration of 12 months with the potential participation of up to 150 subjects from prominent institutions like Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Corewell Health.</p>
 
</div>

Stratasys partners with Ricoh USA to study 3D-printed models in orthopaedic oncology

Foundation Models

<div>
 
 <p>The France-based non-profit AI research lab, Kyutai, has introduced a multimodal AI model prototype called Moshi. This model can interact expressively and naturally with AI.</p>
 <p>Moshi has the ability to recognize and display up to 70 different emotions and styles. It is also capable of speaking in various accents and can handle two audio streams at the same time. This enables it to listen and speak simultaneously. Furthermore, Moshi operates with a latency of less than 200 milliseconds and is compatible with consumer-grade hardware, such as MacBooks. It also supports backends like CUDA, Metal, and CPU.</p>
 <p>Kyutai is intending to release the complete codebase of Moshi to aid in the open research and development of AI.</p>
 
</div>

Kyutai introduces Moshi, a real-time multimodal AI model

Enhancing seed and crop traits via biotechnology

Crop Biotech

<div>

 <p>BetterSeeds, a company specializing in genome editing with CRISPR-Cas9, has obtained USDA approval for its gene-edited cowpea, PeaMAX. </p>
 <p>The company asserts that PeaMAX is perfect for summers in major soybean areas and fits well for mechanized harvesting. BetterSeeds also adds that cowpea possesses a shorter growth period, high protein yield, and resistance to heat and drought.</p>

</div>

BetterSeeds receives USDA approval for commercialization of PeaMAX

<div>
 
 <p>Neste Corporation, renowned for producing sustainable fuels and renewable feedstock for polymers and chemicals industries, has assembled a consortium aimed at creating a supply chain for more sustainable polyester fiber production. The consortium comprises Goldwin, Mitsubishi Corporation, Chiyoda Corporation from Japan, SK Geocentric from South Korea, Indorama Ventures from Thailand, and India Glycols from India.</p>
 <p>The consortium plans to incorporate renewable, bio-based resources and carbon capture and utilization techniques to manufacture polyester fibers. Specifically, this sustainable project will leverage Neste’s Neste RE feedstock, which comprises bio-based and recycled materials. Subsequently, Goldwin will use the sustainable polyester produced to manufacture clothing for The North Face brand, with plans to retail them in Japan beginning from July 2024.</p>
 
</div>

Neste Corporation forms consortium to establish sustainable polyester supply chain

<div>
 
 <p>Packaging supplier, Coverpla, has collaborated with organic perfume manufacturer, Terre d'Oc, for the release of Terre d'Oc's new fragrance products. These products will be packaged in Coverpla's refillable bottles, which are produced from bio-based resin and come with biodegradable caps.</p>
 <p>The products are packed in a 100 ml Coverpla's Venus design bottle, featuring a CV15 screw neck. The bottles are inclusive of a gently rounded shape, a thick base, and an optional threaded or crimped collar. The caps are crafted from a rapeseed oil-based biopolymer. Coverpla states that the caps are compostable and contribute to a reduced carbon footprint.</p>
 
</div>

Coverpla partners with Terre d’Oc to launch new sustainable packaging with Coverpla's refillable bottle

<div>
 
 <p>Andritz, a leading technology group that provides industrial plants, has collaborated with Södra, a forestry economic society, in order to initiate a solution for the recovery of kraft lignin, a byproduct from pulp production. This recovery system will be established at Södra's pulp mill, professed to be the first and largest in Sweden. Andritz states that the reclaimed lignin has the potential to be sold, forming additional revenue, while also reducing waste.</p>
 <p>Included in the recovery system is Andritz’s LignaRec lignin recovery process, which is accompanied by an Andritz SulfoLoop sulphuric acid plant. The LignaRec system is designed to reclaim lignin from the black liquor that is a result of the pulping operation and is due for further refinement onsite. The SulfoLoop plant acts as a circular solution to recapture the sulfuric acid that is utilized during the process of lignin recovery. </p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> The partnership showcases the capabilities of&nbsp;Andritz’s CircleToZero initiative, to which the LignaRec and SulfoLoop technologies belong. CircleToZero aims to maximize the use of industrial side streams and byproducts, paving the way to zero-emissions and zero-waste production.</p>

All Updates

Lycia Therapeutics raises USD 107 million in Series C funding for clinical development of lead therapeutic candidates

Dow introduces bio-derived NORDEL REN EPDM at German Rubber Conference

UiPath integrates GenAI capabilities into workflow automation platform

HuLoop launches V6 of Unified Automation Software Platform

Trigo partners with REWE to launch cashierless store in Hamburg, Germany

Stratasys partners with Ricoh USA to study 3D-printed models in orthopaedic oncology

Kyutai introduces Moshi, a real-time multimodal AI model

BetterSeeds receives USDA approval for commercialization of PeaMAX

Neste Corporation forms consortium to establish sustainable polyester supply chain

Coverpla partners with Terre d’Oc to launch new sustainable packaging with Coverpla's refillable bottle

Andritz partners with Södra to introduce kraft lignin production solution

Precision Medicine

Lycia Therapeutics raises USD 107 million in Series C funding for clinical development of lead therapeutic candidates

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